Introduction: Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) is an allergic airway disorder caused by fungal colonization within the respiratory tract. Although pharmacological treatment can lead to temporary remission, the recurrence rate remains high. Therefore, controlling fungal contamination in residential environments is considered essential for both the prevention and management of ABPM and/or other fungus-related allergic airway diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the state of fungal contamination in indoor environments through the observation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Methods: Two survey visits were conducted during the autumn seasons of 2020 and 2021 at 17 residences of patients diagnosed with fungus-related allergic airway diseases. VOCs in the indoor air of living rooms were collected using a passive flux sampler over a 24-hour period in principle. Following collection, 23 types of VOCs were quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and converted to air concentrations using theoretical sampling rates. These VOC concentrations were then compared with the fungal contamination inside air conditioners installed in the respective living rooms. Results: Indoor air concentrations of 23 VOCs—considered to originate from building materials, microorganisms, and the human body—were obtained. No consistent trends were observed in the levels or compositions of VOCs among the 17 residences. However, geosmin concentrations in indoor air showed significant correlations with fungal contamination detected on the heat exchanger (r=0.47, p =0.006) and vents (r=0.37, p=0.034) of the air conditioners used in these residences. Conclusion: Geosmin in indoor air may serve as an indicator of fungal contamination within air conditioner units, which are often not visibly contaminated.

Toxic elements (TEs) are characterized by high toxicity, even at low concentrations, and have the potential to induce various harmful effects in living organisms. Pollution with TEs constitutes a major concern in the agricultural sector, as they decrease crop growth, yield, and food quality. Soil amendments derived from agricultural byproducts and waste can improve physicochemical properties, fertility, and plant growth in TE-contaminated soils by providing nutrients and reduce the TEs' bioavailability. Due to its high surface area, porosity, and adsorption capacity, activated carbon emerges as a promising solution for removing TEs, increasing soil nutrient levels, and improving soil water holding capacity and aeration, consequently improving crop nutrition. A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of wood-based activated carbon on the growth of spinach and the bioavailability of Cd and Cr in soils artificially contaminated at a concentration level of 10 mg/kg. Mixtures of TE-contaminated soil and wood-based activated carbon at 0% (control), 0% (contaminated control), 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2% were prepared in plastic pots and used as substrates for cultivating 15-day-old nursery spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. var. Matador) plants. The utilization of 2% wood-based activated carbon significantly increased shoot weight, as well as soil pH and organic matter content. The application of 2% wood-based activated carbon also reduced TE concentrations by 35% for Cd and 55% for Cr in shoots, and by 45% for Cd and 50% for Cr in roots, respectively, compared to the contaminated control group. Amendment with 2% wood-based activated carbon can immobilize Cd and Cr in soil and increase the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in spinach grown in soils artificially contaminated with Cd and Cr. However, further research is needed to identify the optimal application rate and long-term effects of wood-based activated carbon amendments to enhance soil quality and promote plant growth in contaminated soils.

Nanotechnology has been extensively used in the development of drug delivery systems, with various benefits on the protection, control release, and improvement of drug delivery to target sites. Among nanocarriers, lipid-based ones, such as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), have been biocompatible and theoretically safe for pharmaceutical application. Even so, studies evaluating the possible toxicity of nanocarriers have been dismissed and are lacking in the literature. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of SLNs and their components using in vitro and in vivo studies. The in vitro studies were carried out in a normal human fibroblast cell line. The formulations of positively charged SLNs (SLNs⁺) exhibited greater cytotoxicity compared to negatively charged ones (SLNs^-), especially at higher concentrations (10, 20, and 100µg/mL), suggesting that this response is probably due to the higher interaction of SLNs⁺ with cell membranes. The SLN components (Precirol^® ATO 5, Tween^® 80, and benzalkonium chloride) were also studied in their higher concentration within the formulation. Benzalkonium chloride was the only component that exhibited toxicity in the in vitro studies. The in vivo assays were performed using Drosophila melanogaster with SLN⁺ at 100µg/mL and their components. The toxicity was studied taking into consideration chronic and periodic exposition, and the parameters accessed were egg number, hatched flies, and sex. Considering chronic exposure, no statistical differences were found considering these parameters. When F₁ flies, submitted to chronical exposure, were crossed with non-treated flies, the effect on gender was evident when the different components were tested. The discrepancy between the in vitro and in vivo result suggests that while SLNs demonstrate toxicity in cell cultures, their effects are less pronounced in whole organisms, likely due to biological factors such as metabolism and detoxification mechanisms, highlighting the need for comprehensive in vivo testing to assess the true impact of nanocarriers.

Introduction: Long-term benzene exposure results in hematotoxicity. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a type of post-transcriptional modification and plays roles in various diseases. However, the role of m6A modification in benzene hematotoxicity is still unclear.

Methods: m6A epitranscriptomic and RNA-seq analyses were conducted to explore the effect of benzene on the m6A level and expression of mRNAs. Benzene-induced hematotoxicity mouse models and melatonin intervention models were constructed, and RIP, MeRIP, and Co-IP assays were used to investigate the role of m6A in benzene hematotoxicity and the protective effect of melatonin.

Results: We found that benzene altered m6A methylation of various mRNAs and identified a key m6A-methylated mRNA, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 G2 (UBE2G2), through GO analysis. m6A reading proteins recognized m6A modifications to regulate mRNA's fate. By searching an m6A target prediction website, we discovered that the m6A reader YTHDF3 bound with the UBE2G2 m6A site, and we also validated their interactions via RIP and MeRIP assays. Mechanistically, benzene exposure resulted in low expression of YTHDF3, which down-regulated the mRNA's stability and expression of UBE2G2 through the recognition of m6A modification. Moreover, overexpression of YTHDF3 mitigated UBE2G2 reduction, which further confirmed their regulatory relationship. UBE2G2 regulates proteins' ubiquitination to affect their expression. Through a Co-Immunoprecipitation assay and functional analysis, we demonstrated that ubiquitination modified ACSL4 due to UBE2G2-mediated benzene-induced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Moreover, melatonin alleviated benzene-induced hematotoxicity by modulating the YTHDF3/UBE2G2/ACSL4 axis.

Conclusions: The m6A reader YTHDF3/UBE2G2 m6A methylation/ACSL4 ubiquitination axis facilitated cell ferroptosis to mediate benzene hematotoxicity, and melatonin had an alleviating effect on benzene hematotoxicity.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impacts of exposure to phenolic compounds on liver function, while also using machine learning models to identify primary risk pollutants.

Methods: Based on the Henan rural cohort, this cross-sectional study enrolled 876 normal glucose tolerance (NGT) individuals and 860 impaired fasting glucose (IFG) individuals. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was utilized to measure the levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol P (BPP), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol Z (BPZ), methyl paraben (MeP), ethyl paraben (EtP), propyl paraben (PrP), butyl paraben (BuP), and benzyl paraben (BzP). Linear models, the quantile-based g-computation (QGC) model, the Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) model, and a machine learning model were employed to assess the associations between single- and mixed-exposure and liver injury indicators.

Results: In the IFG group, linear regression, QGC models, and BKMR models all showed positive associations of exposure with Aspartate aminotransferase and Fibrosis-4 index, in which EtP, BuP, BPS, and BPZ were found in single-exposure models and EtP, as well as BPZ, contributing mostly among mixed-exposure models. In addition, QGC and BKMR models presented an increased Aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index with mixed exposure. However, no significant results were found in the NGT group. By integrating the results of the ML model and the mixed-exposure analysis, for the IFG population, EtP, BuP, BPP, BPZ, and BPE were risk factors for AST, Fib-4, and APRI. Subgroup analysis showed more evident results in females, with IFG having a significant modifying effect.

Conclusion: Phenolic compound exposure was associated with impaired liver function among the IFG population. EtP, BuP, BPP, BPZ, and BPE were identified as primary risk factors for liver fibrosis indicators. IFG females demonstrated a stronger association between mixed exposure to phenolic EDCs and liver fibrosis indicators, and hyperglycemia modified the association.

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a major global health issue, affecting over 500 million people. Metformin (MET), an antihyperglycemic drug prescribed for Type II DM treatment, is frequently detected in aquatic environments due to its widespread use and poor removal capacity from wastewater. Concomitantly, freshwater ecosystems are also threatened by other environmental stressors, including global warming, making it necessary to understand the interactions between anthropogenic and climate-related pressures. This study aimed to assess the ecotoxicological effects of metformin on Daphnia magna and Danio rerio under rising temperature scenarios. Methods: D. magna acute immobilization (48 h; 0.00–120 mg MET/L; 20 ± 1°C) and D. rerio Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity (FET) (96 h; 0.00–3000 mg MET/L; 26 ± 1°C) assays were performed following OECD guidelines. D. magna feeding inhibition assays (24 h; 0.00–80 mg MET/L; 20 ± 1°C) were conducted following previous works (standard temperature). The same bioassays were also performed with a 4°C temperature increase (projections by the IPCC until 2100), i.e., 24 ± 1°C for D. magna and 30 ± 1°C for D. rerio. Results: At standard temperature, MET induced acute toxicity in D. magna (LC₅₀ (48 h) = 70.64 mg/L; EC₅₀ (48 h) = 53.67 mg/L) and reduced feeding rate (EC₅₀ = 54.18 mg/L). In D. rerio, MET had no significant effects on mortality and hatching but induced malformations (scoliosis and edema). MET exposure induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in D. magna and altered the homeostasis of the antioxidant and detoxification enzymes in D. rerio larvae. Increased temperature influenced MET's toxic effects, affecting individual and sub-individual responses. Conclusions: This study showed that increased temperatures (based on global warming projections) influence MET toxicity at the individual and sub-individual level, with D. magna showing higher sensitivity. The combined effects of rising temperatures and MET pollution underscore the vulnerability of freshwater environments.

Reservoirs are essential aquatic ecosystems that provide drinking water and support various human activities. However, they are increasingly threatened by plastic pollution, posing risks to both environmental and human health. Despite this, the evaluation of the Ecological Potential (EP) of reservoirs under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) does not yet account for microplastics (MPs). This study aimed to quantify and characterize MPs in two Portuguese reservoirs (Rabagão and Aguieira), focused on their relation to the water quality and anthropogenic pressures. For this purpose, throughout 2023, sub-surface water samples were collected to assess the EP of the reservoirs, based on WFD metrics, and to identify MPs by size, colour, type, and chemical composition. Furthermore, the study areas were characterized by land use, soil occupation, and anthropogenic pressures to help identify potential sources of MPs. A total of 5862 MPs were observed in Rabagão and 1658 in Aguieira, with the highest concentrations recorded near the dam, in both reservoirs. For both reservoirs, the predominance of fibres between 0.1 and 0.5 mm was observed, and blue, black, and grey were the most common colours. Chemical composition analysis using ATR-FTIR identified polyethylene as the predominant polymer present in the samples from both reservoirs. Rabagão reservoir exhibited aquaculture as the main anthropogenic pressure, and a Good EP classification, while Aguieira exhibited greater anthropogenic impact (e.g. wastewater discharges, recreational activities, intensive forestry) and a Moderate EP classification. Overall, an apparent discrepancy was observed between the water quality of the reservoirs and the concentration of MPs, suggesting that a good ecological classification, based on existing metrics, does not necessarily indicate low microplastic pollution. This emphasizes that incorporating MPs monitoring into water quality assessments can provide important complementary information, particularly for reservoirs of notable environmental and social significance.

Background: Spinosad, a natural bioinsecticide derived from Saccharopolyspora spinosa, is widely used in agriculture due to its high selectivity toward target pests and low environmental persistence. However, its increasing application raises concerns about its potential toxic effects on non-target species, especially under environmentally relevant exposure scenarios. This study aimed to evaluate the acute toxicity and sublethal biochemical effects of Spinosad across multiple aquatic species, representing different trophic levels.

Methods: A multi-species ecotoxicological assessment was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of model aquatic species to Spinosad. Standardized acute toxicity tests were performed with Aliivibrio fischeri (bacteria), Raphidocelis subcapitata (algae), Daphnia magna (crustacean), and Danio rerio embryos (fish). In addition, biochemical biomarkers were analyzed in D. magna and D. rerio to assess oxidative stress (catalase [CAT], glutathione S-transferase [GST] activities), lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARSs]), and neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase [AChE] inhibition) effects.

Results: Spinosad exhibited a wide range of toxicities among the tested species, with EC₅₀ values of 105.66 mg/L for A. fischeri, 3.93 mg/L for R. subcapitata, 0.018 mg/L for D. magna, and 1.37 mg/L for D. rerio embryos, indicating increasing sensitivity from prokaryotes to invertebrates. Biochemical assays revealed that even at environmentally relevant concentrations (~0.4 μg/L reported in surface waters), Spinosad induced significant oxidative stress, enhanced lipid peroxidation, and inhibited AChE activity in D. magna and D. rerio embryos, suggesting sublethal but ecologically relevant effects.

Conclusions: The ecotoxicological profile of Spinosad demonstrates its high toxicity to aquatic invertebrates and its potential to disrupt key physiological processes in fish at low concentrations. These findings highlight the need for more comprehensive environmental risk assessments that consider both acute and chronic toxicity and sublethal biomarker responses, particularly under realistic exposure scenarios. Monitoring Spinosad levels in freshwater ecosystems is crucial in order to safeguard aquatic biodiversity and guarantee the health status of aquatic ecosystems.

Background: Aquatic ecosystems are increasingly subjected to overlapping stressors, including rising temperatures, pH variations, and antibiotic contamination (e.g., sulfamethoxazole—SMX, trimethoprim—TRIM, and their mixture—MIX). These abiotic factors may interact in complex ways, altering antibiotic toxicity and impairing key biological processes in aquatic organisms. This study aims to contribute significant data to bridge the gap regarding the combined impacts of environmental stressors, particularly in a climate change context, underscoring the need for integrative studies. Methods: We evaluated the chronic effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of SMX (150 µg/L), TRIM (30 µg/L), and their mixture (150 µg SMX/L + 30 µg TRIM/L) on Danio rerio after exposure to various i) temperatures (26, 28, and 32 °C) and ii) pH values (6.5, 7.5, and 9.0). A multi-biomarker approach was applied to assess antibiotic ecotoxicity and the biological health status of D. rerio. Results: Temperature and pH variations affected the antibiotic’s toxicity to D. rerio. At 28 °C, SMX and MIX exhibited moderate toxicity, inducing significant biological alterations (neurotoxicity and DNA damage), while TRIM showed only slight toxicity, mainly altering antioxidant/detoxification defenses. At 32 °C, MIX emerged as the most toxic compound, causing genotoxic and histopathological damage. In terms of the influence of pH, SMX had a greater impact under low-pH conditions (pH 6.5 and 7.5), leading to oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage. In contrast, TRIM and MIX showed increased toxicity at neutral-to-alkaline pH (7.5 and 9.0), with notable impairment of antioxidant defenses, as well as DNA and histopathological injuries. Conclusions: The results highlight the urgent need for integrated studies that address chemical pollutants and climate change-related stressors. Ignoring these combined pressures could lead to long-term impacts on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem stability. These findings reinforce the importance of comprehensive risk assessments that consider the potential amplification of pharmaceutical toxicity under changing environmental conditions.

Water safety in low- and middle-income countries is an issue of serious concern globally. Heavy metals in leachates from residential dumpsites and other businesses affect water quality due to their non-biodegradability and toxicity. Copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) in water pose a danger to local ecosystems and public health. This study determined the growth response and phytoremediation of Cu and Cr in market dumpsite leachate using a floating aquatic plant, common duckweed (Lemna minor), as a locally applicable, cost-effective and eco-friendly solution. The plant was exposed to different concentrations of leachate for 14 days. Growth and the physicochemical parameters were measured. Ourresults showed a significant reduction in Co, Cr, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and dissolved oxygen (DO) at 50% v/v concentration of the leachate. The pH increased from slightly alkaline to more alkaline at the same concentration. The number of fronds, biomass, relative growth rate, and chlorophyll contents decreased significantly at 100% v/v. This finding indicates that L. minor can tolerate and remediate 50% v/v of dumpsite leachate. Further studies arerecommended to evaluate other environmental and eco-physiological factors to improve the phytoremediation of leachate using this plant in Maiduguri metropolis and beyond.