Firefighter exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon during prescribed burns and wildfires.

Prescribed burns are valuable tools for landscape management, which reduce wildfire risk in fire-prone ecosystems. However, they generate smoke emissions containing hazardous pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and black carbon (BC). Here, PAHs were analyzed in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) filters in firefighter's personal real-time BC monitors during prescribed burns and wildfires between 2022 and 2024 in Catalonia (NE Spain).

Windows of susceptibility of prenatal and childhood exposure to air pollution and lung function at 6-8 years in the Spanish INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente) birth cohort.

Background: Air pollution exposure during pregnancy and childhood has been linked to lung development deficits in children, however, few studies have identified potential windows of susceptibility to air pollution exposure from conception to early childhood on lung function.

Objectives: To identify potential windows of susceptibility to the effects of prenatal and childhood exposure to air pollution and lung function.

Methods: We included 1029 mother-child pairs from the INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente) birth cohort.

DESERT DUST, SANDSTORMS, AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: A SCOPING REVIEW.

Desert dust and sandstorms influence air quality by elevating particulate matter concentrations and transporting anthropogenic pollutants, microorganisms, and toxic biogenic allergens. Although there is increasing concern about their role in spreading infectious diseases, the evidence remains limited. This scoping review synthesizes epidemiological literature on the association between desert dust exposure and infectious disease and identifies critical research gaps.

Entanglement of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the ocean.

Knowledge of Earth's microbiomes' capacity to degrade aromatic compounds is limited by the lack of accurate tools for identifying degrading genes and their associated taxa. Additionally, these estimates are hardly compared to in situ background concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly in oceanic waters. This knowledge is important for assessing the persistence of the widespread and abundant PAHs in the environment and their interactions with microbes.

Adsorption of benzophenone-3 and octocrylene UV filters on polyethylene: analysis by HPLC-MS/MS and voltammetry with screen-printed electrodes.

Microplastics (MPs) are persistent pollutants that can adsorb contaminants, facilitating their accumulation in aquatic ecosystems. The presence of UV filters (UVFs) such as benzophenone-3 (BP3) and octocrylene (OC), exacerbates this issue, particularly in coastal areas. This study presents an innovative dual-method approach combining high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry (DPAdSV) to assess the adsorption of UVFs on polyethylene (PE), a widely found polymer in aquatic environments.

Characterization of Hydraulic Rock Diffusivity Using Oscillatory Pore Pressure.

The interest of exploring deep geological resources for energy-related activities is rapidly increasing. Lowering the risks associated with these activities requires the development of fast and accurate in situ rock characterization methods. Monitoring and interpreting periodic signals, whether natural or man-induced, can provide valuable information about subsurface formations.

Time-resolved 2D and 3D imaging of hydrogen and brine displacement processes in porous Clashach sandstone.

Hydrogen (H) storage in porous geological formations offers a promising means to balance supply and demand in the renewable energy sector, supporting the energy transition. Important unknowns to this technology include the H fluid flow dynamics through the porous medium which affect H injectivity and recovery. We used time-resolved X-ray computed microtomography to image real-time unsteady and steady state injections of H and brine (2 M KI) into a Clashach sandstone core at 5 MPa and ambient temperature.

Short-term exposure to desert dust and sandstorms and all-cause and cause-specific mortality and morbidity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Desert dust and sandstorms raise concerns about their adverse effects on human health. Over the last decade, special attention has been given to mineral dust particles from desert sand. However, evidence from previous literature reviews has yielded inconclusive results regarding their health effects.

Incidental nanoparticle characterisation in industrial settings to support risk assessment modelling.

Research on nanoparticle (NP) release and potential exposure can be assessed through experimental field campaigns, laboratory simulations, and prediction models. However, risk assessment models are typically designed for manufactured NP (MNP) and have not been adapted for incidental NP (INP) properties. A notable research gap is identifying NP sources and their chemical, physical, and toxicological properties, especially in real-world settings.

Concentrations and origins of ultrafine particles at a major European harbor.

The maritime transport sector poses significant air quality concerns, particularly in nearby cities. Ultrafine particles (UFP, diameter < 100 nm) are of particular concern due to their potential health impacts. This study measured particle number concentrations (PNC), size distributions (PNSD), and other pollutants including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NO), black carbon (BC), sulfur dioxide (SO) and ozone (O), organic markers and trace elements at a major European harbor and an urban background (UB) location.

Source-resolved black carbon and PM exposures during wildfires and prescribed burns.

Changes in climate and land-use have significantly increased both the frequency and intensity of wildland fires globally, exacerbating the potential for hazardous impacts on human health. A better understanding of particle exposure concentrations and scenarios is crucial for developing mitigation strategies to reduce the health risks. Here, PM and black carbon (BC) concentrations were monitored during wildland fires between 2022 and 2024, in fire-prone areas in Catalonia (NE Spain), by means of personal monitors (AirBeam2 and Micro-aethalometers AE51 and MA200).

Arsenic distribution and speciation in deposited coal mine dust.

This study investigates arsenic (As) species, sources, and transformation patterns in deposited coal mine dust (DCMD) from three coal mines-QSY, MHJ, and SCC-in the Ningdong Coalfield, China. While the parent coals have low As levels, the DCMD shows significant enrichment, with concentrations 137 to 345 times higher. The mineral composition of the DCMD reflects that of the parent coals but includes secondary minerals such as gypsum and various trace elements, including As.

Size distribution, sources and chemistry of ultrafine particles at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Spain.

The rapid expansion of the aviation sector raises concerns about air quality impacts within and around airports. Ultrafine particles (UFP, diameter < 100 nm) are of particular concern due to their potential adverse health effects. In this study, particle number concentrations (PNC), particle number size distribution (PNSD), and other ancillary pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NO), black carbon (BC), sulfur dioxide (SO), ozone (O), carbon monoxide (CO) and benzene, as well as organic markers and trace elements (in quasi-UFP) were measured at Barcelona-El Prat Airport (80 m and 250 m from the main taxiway and runway).

A critical review of wastewater-based epidemiology as a tool to evaluate the unintentional human exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a powerful tool to gather epidemiological insights at the community level, providing objective data on population exposure to harmful substances. A considerable portion of the human exposure to these potentially harmful chemicals occurs unintentionally, unlike substances such as pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, or alcohol. In this context, this comprehensive review analyzes WBE studies focused on classes of organic chemicals to which humans are unintentionally exposed, namely organophosphorus flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles, phthalates and terephthalates, benzophenones, pesticides, bisphenols, and parabens.

Removal of the cytostatic drugs bleomycin and vincristine by white-rot fungi under various conditions, and determination of enzymes involved, degradation by-products, and toxicity.

Anticancer drugs show recalcitrance to conventional wastewater treatments; thus, they are present in aquatic systems and pose an environmental threat. Fungi represent a promising biological alternative for wastewater treatments. Therefore, the goals of this work were to assess the potential of white-rot fungi (Fomes fomentarius (CB13), Hypholoma fasciculare (CB15), Phyllotopsis nidulans (CB14), Pleurotus ostreatus (BWPH), and Trametes versicolor (CB8)) for removing bleomycin and vincristine, and to investigate the impacts of various conditions (shaking, aeration, or biomass immobilization) on the process.

The fate of airborne microfibers in the human respiratory tract in different microenvironments.

Αirborne microplastics (MPs) are considered an important exposure hazard to humans, especially in the indoor environment. Deposition and clearance of MPs in the human respiratory tract (HRT) was investigated using the ExDoM2 dosimetry model, modified to incorporate the deposition and clearance of MPs fibers. Fiber deposition was calculated via the fiber equivalent aerodynamic diameter determined using their properties such as size, density and dynamic shape factor.

Assessment of Metal Impurity Partitioning and Speciation in Mineral Carbonation Processes Using FGD-Gypsum from Coal-Fired Power Plants under Distinct Operating Conditions.

The sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO) stands as a profoundly pivotal environmental challenge, given its potential to directly contribute to the advancement of environmental, societal, and economic objectives across a multitude of nations. In the present study, we have conducted an evaluation of the metal impurity partitioning and speciation in mineral carbonation processes conducted in laboratory using flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsums originating from both Spanish and two Chinese coal-fired power plants, each subject to distinct fuel sources and FGD operational conditions. Of the three resultant carbonation products, two exhibited CaCO content in the range of 81-83%, while the third registered 76.

Biotransformation pathways of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) during acidogenesis and methanogenesis of anaerobic digestion.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) exhibit varying biodegradability during the acidogenic and methanogenic phases of anaerobic digestion. However, there is limited information regarding the end products generated during these processes. This work investigates the biotransformation products (BTPs) generated in a two-phase (TP) acidogenic-methanogenic (Ac-Mt) bioreactor using advanced suspect and nontarget strategies.

Estimating black carbon levels using machine learning models in high-concentration regions.

Black carbon (BC) is emitted into the atmosphere during combustion processes, often in conjunction with emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NO) and ozone (O), which are also by-products of combustion. In highly polluted regions, combustion processes are one of the main sources of aerosols and particulate matter (PM) concentrations, which affect the radiative budget. Despite the high relevance of this air pollution metric, BC monitoring is quite expensive in terms of instrumentation and of maintenance and servicing.

Forecasting fluid-injection induced seismicity to choose the best injection strategy for safety and efficiency.

Induced seismicity poses a challenge to the development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). Improving monitoring and forecasting techniques is essential to mitigate induced seismicity and thereby fostering a positive perception of EGS projects among local authorities and population. Induced seismicity is the result of complex and coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical mechanisms.

Simple on-site extraction and GC-MS analysis of rotenone and degradation products for monitoring invasive fish eradication treatments in fresh and brackish waters.

The introduction of invasive fish species to aquatic ecosystems has been demonstrated to cause disastrous ecological effects. Current conservation strategies regard rotenone-containing piscicide formulations, such as commercial product CFT Legumine, as a potentially viable alternative to the cumbersome traditional approaches to fish eradication. This consideration relies on the fast degradation of rotenone and its relatively rapid dissipation from the environment.

Particle number size distributions and concentrations in transportation environments: a review.

Ambient air ultrafine particles (UFP, particles with a diameter <100 nm) have gained significant attention in World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines and European legislation. This review explores UFP concentrations and particle number size distributions (PNC-PNSD) in various transportation hotspots, including road traffic, airports, harbors, trains, and urban commuting modes (walking, cycling, bus, tram, and subway). The results highlight the lack of information on personal exposure at harbors and railway stations, inside airplanes and trains, and during various other commuting modes.

Application of quasi-empirical orthogonal functions to estimate wildfire impacts in northwestern Spain.

Galicia (NW Spain) is one of the most fire-prone regions in Southern Europe. In the summer of 2022, a total of thirteen wildfires each exceeding 500 ha were reported in this area, with ten of these large fires occurring in the Ourense region. To study the impacts of wildfire smoke plumes on ambient air PM concentrations, a network of 18 PurpleAir monitors was deployed across the Galicia region during July and August 2022.

Presence of microplastics in the groundwater of volcanic islands, El Hierro and La Palma (Canary Islands).

The increasing amount of plastic litter worldwide is a serious problem for the environment and its biodiversity, ecosystems, animal and human welfare and the economy. The degradation of these plastics leads to microplastics (MPs), which have been reported for the first time in groundwater in the Canary archipelago. This research investigates the presence of MPs at nine different points on La Palma and El Hierro, where samples were collected in galleries, wells and springs during the month of December 2022.