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Occurrence and Environmental Risks of Organic Pollutants in Aquatic Environment
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This review pulls together research on chemical pollutants — including microplastics, "forever chemicals" (PFASs), pesticides, and flame retardants — that are building up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans, often causing nerve damage, immune problems, and cellular stress in fish and other aquatic life. The bigger concern: these pollutants rarely appear alone, so scientists are pushing for better testing that looks at how chemical mixtures accumulate in tissue over time, not just how much is in the water — a shift that could lead to smarter safety standards protecting both ecosystems and the people who rely on them for food and water.
This Reprint unravels the complex dynamics of organic pollutants in aquatic environmental systems. From polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to microplastics, pesticides, and emerging contaminants like organophosphate flame retardants and disinfection byproducts, this collection offers a comprehensive examination of the pollutants shaping todays aquatic ecosystems. Through advanced methodologies, this Reprint illuminates the environmental behaviors, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicological effects of both legacy and emerging contaminants. Its key findings reveal neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and oxidative stress in aquatic organisms, while highlighting the pressing need for integrated risk assessment frameworks. Real-world investigations demonstrate how human activities influence pollutant distribution, ecological shifts, and contaminant interactions. Notably, the research advocates for a paradigm shift from single-pollutant to mixture assessments, from external exposure to internal tissue residue-based criteria, and from traditional water quality standards to more precise, ecologically relevant benchmarks. This Reprint not only deepens our understanding of organic pollutant dynamics but also provides vital scientific support for refining water quality criteria, advancing monitoring technologies, and guiding sustainable watershed management. It is essential reading for environmental scientists, policymakers, and water resource managers striving to protect aquatic life and human health in an era of rapid industrialization and urbanization.
More Papers Like This
Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Do They Matter to Aquatic Ecosystems?
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This review examines PFAS, the persistent 'forever chemicals' widely used in consumer products, and their growing threat to aquatic ecosystems. Evidence indicates that PFAS accumulate in aquatic organisms, disrupt hormones, and can alter how other pollutants behave in the environment. The research is relevant to microplastic concerns because PFAS are commonly found in plastic products and can leach from microplastics into water.
Microplastic co-exposure increases PFAS bioaccumulation without universally amplifying toxicity in aquatic organisms: A multi-endpoint meta-analysis
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Scientists found that microplastics and "forever chemicals" (PFAS) often build up together in water animals, with microplastics helping PFAS accumulate more in their bodies. But this didn't always mean worse health effects: some issues like nerve damage and digestion problems got worse, while others like reproduction and hormone effects didn't change, showing that risk depends on the specific chemical and situation, not one blanket rule.
Do Perfluorinated Chemicals Enhance the Toxicity of Other Contaminants in Aquatic Organisms?
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This review of existing research found that PFAS chemicals (commonly called "forever chemicals" found in non-stick cookware and food packaging) make other pollutants like pesticides, metals, and microplastics more harmful to fish and other water animals. When these chemicals mix together in the environment, they cause worse health problems than each pollutant would cause alone, including damage to development, reproduction, and body functions. This matters because humans are also exposed to these same chemical mixtures through contaminated water and food, suggesting we could face similar increased health risks.
The Microplastic–PFAS Nexus: From Co-Occurrence to Combined Toxicity in Aquatic Environments
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This review examines the interconnected environmental behavior of microplastics and PFAS ("forever chemicals"), showing that microplastics can act as carriers, concentrators, and secondary sources of PFAS contamination. Researchers found that co-exposure to both pollutants often produces synergistic toxic effects in aquatic organisms, disrupting processes from photosynthesis to neurological development. The study argues that current regulations assessing these pollutants individually are inadequate and must evolve to address their combined effects.
Emerging Environmental Toxicants Undermine Reproductive Success in Aquatic Animals: A Narrative Review
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This review pulls together existing studies showing that everyday pollutants like microplastics, "forever chemicals" (PFAS), and hormone-disrupting chemicals are harming fish and other aquatic animals' ability to reproduce and raise healthy offspring. These chemicals mess with hormones, cause cell damage, and can even alter how genes are expressed—effects that could shrink wild fish populations over time. Since these same chemical families show up in our water, food, and bodies, this research is an early warning sign worth watching, even though scientists still need more real-world (not just lab) data to know exactly how much risk they pose to humans
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.