Incorporating Transformation Products for an Integrated Assessment of Antibiotic Pollution and Risks in Surface Water.

The widespread presence of antibiotics in aquatic ecosystems is a global challenge, yet the occurrence and risks associated with their transformation products (TPs) remain poorly understood. This study investigated the occurrence and potential risks of antibiotics and their TPs in water along the Chaobai River in Beijing. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry and an integrated target, suspect, and nontarget screening approach to identify 21 parent antibiotics and 78 TPs among 90 water samples, with the majority from macrolides and sulfonamides.

Cascading Pathways Regulate the Biotransformations of Eight Fluorotelomer Acids Performed by Wastewater Microbial Communities.

Polyfluoroalkyl substances can be biotransformed in natural or engineered environmental systems to generate perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). Data are needed to support the development of biotransformation pathway prediction tools that simulate biotransformation pathways of polyfluoroalkyl substances in specific environmental systems. The goal of this study was to experimentally evaluate the biotransformation of eight structurally similar fluorotelomer acids to identify biotransformation products and propose biotransformation pathways.

Broad Microbial Community Functions in a Conventional Activated Sludge System Exhibit Temporal Stability.

Wastewater microbial communities within conventional activated sludge (CAS) systems can perform hundreds of biotransformations whose relative importance, frequency, and temporal stability remain largely unexplored. To improve our understanding of biotransformations in CAS systems, we collected 24 h composite samples from the influent and effluent of a CAS system over 14 days, analyzed samples using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and conducted a nontarget analysis of our HRMS acquisitions. We found that over 50% of the chemical features in the influent were completely removed, and the daily number of detected features exhibited low variability with a coefficient of variation of 0.

Long-term impact of Hurricane Maria on point-of-use drinking water quality in Puerto Rico and associated potential adverse health effects.

Drinking water security in Puerto Rico (PR) is increasingly challenged by both regulated and emerging anthropogenic contaminants, which was exacerbated by the Hurricane Maria (HM) due to impaired regional water cycle and damaged water infrastructure. Leveraging the NIEHS PROTECT (Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats) cohort, this study assessed the long-term tap water (TW) quality changes from March 2018 to November 2018 after HM in PR, by innovatively integrating two different effect-based quantitative toxicity assays with a targeted analysis of 200 organic and 22 inorganic pollutants. Post-hurricane PR TW quality showed recovery after >6-month period as indicated by the decreased number of contaminants showing elevated average concentrations relative to pre-hurricane samples, with significant difference of both chemical and toxicity levels between northern and southern PR.

Perfluoroalkyl acid adsorption by styrenic β-cyclodextrin polymers, anion-exchange resins, and activated carbon is inhibited by matrix constituents in different ways.

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants of global concern, and adsorption processes are the most widely used technologies to remove PFAAs from water. However, there remains little data on the ways that specific water matrix constituents inhibit the adsorption of PFAAs on different adsorbents. In this study, we evaluated the adsorption of 13 PFAAs on two styrene-functionalized β-cyclodextrin (StyDex) polymers, an activated carbon (AC), and an anion-exchange resin (AER) in the absence and presence of specific water matrix constituents (16 unique water matrices) in batch experiments.

Emerging contaminants: A One Health perspective.

Environmental pollution is escalating due to rapid global development that often prioritizes human needs over planetary health. Despite global efforts to mitigate legacy pollutants, the continuous introduction of new substances remains a major threat to both people and the planet. In response, global initiatives are focusing on risk assessment and regulation of emerging contaminants, as demonstrated by the ongoing efforts to establish the UN's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention.

Trace Organic Contaminant Removal from Municipal Wastewater by Styrenic β-Cyclodextrin Polymers.

Trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) present major removal challenges for wastewater treatment. TrOCs, such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are associated with chronic toxicity at ng L exposure levels and should be removed from wastewater to enable safe reuse and release of treated effluents. Established adsorbents, such as granular activated carbon (GAC), exhibit variable TrOC removal and fouling by wastewater constituents.

More movement with manure: increased mobility of erythromycin through agricultural soil in the presence of manure.

Antibiotic residues in the environment threaten soil and aquatic organisms and human and livestock health through the building of antimicrobial resistance. Manure spreading associated with animal agriculture is one source of environmental antibiotic residues. To better understand the risk of contamination, we studied the adsorption of erythromycin, a model macrolide antibiotic used across human and animal medicine.

Target and Suspect Screening Integrated with Machine Learning to Discover Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Source Fingerprints.

This study elucidates per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) fingerprints for specific PFAS source types. Ninety-two samples were collected from aqueous film-forming foam impacted groundwater (AFFF-GW), landfill leachate, biosolids leachate, municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent (WWTP), and wastewater effluent from the pulp and paper and power generation industries. High-resolution mass spectrometry operated with electrospray ionization in negative mode was used to quantify up to 50 target PFASs and screen and semi-quantify up to 2,266 suspect PFASs in each sample.

Is Computed-Tomography-Based Body Composition a Reliable Predictor of Chemotherapy-Related Toxicity in Pancreatic Cancer Patients?

Background: Malnutrition, loss of weight and of skeletal muscle mass are frequent in pancreatic cancer patients, a majority of which will undergo chemotherapy over the course of their disease. Available data suggest a negative prognostic role of these changes in body composition on disease outcomes; however, it is unclear whether tolerance to chemotherapeutic treatment is similarly and/or negatively affected. We aimed to explore this association by retrospectively assessing changes in body composition and chemotherapy-related toxicity in a cohort of advanced pancreatic cancer patients.

Revealing the factors resulting in incomplete recovery of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) when implementing the adsorbable and extractable organic fluorine methods.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are environmental contaminants of concern. Techniques that quantify total organic fluorine (TOF) such as the adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF) and extractable organic fluorine (EOF) methods are important for PFAS risk assessments. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate each step of the AOF (loading, washing, combustion) and EOF (loading, washing, elution, combustion) methods for the recovery of ten ultrashort-, short-, and long-chain unsubstituted perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs).

Exploring the Evolution of Organofluorine-Containing Compounds during Simulated Photolithography Experiments.

One potential source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in electronics fabrication wastewater are the organofluorine-containing compounds used in photolithography materials such as photoresists and top antireflective coatings (TARCs). However, the exact identities of these constituents are unknown and transformation reactions that may occur during photolithography may result in the formation of unknown or unexpected PFASs. To address this knowledge gap, we acquired five commercially relevant photolithography materials, characterized the occurrence of organofluorine-containing compounds in each material, and performed simulated photolithography experiments to stimulate any potential transformation reactions.

Daily Monitoring at a Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant Reveals Temporally Variable Micropollutant Biotransformations.

Despite decades of micropollutant (MP) monitoring at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), we lack a fundamental understanding of the time-varying metabolic processes driving MP biotransformations. To address this knowledge gap, we collected 24-h composite samples from the influent and effluent of the conventional activated sludge (CAS) process at a WWTP over 14 consecutive days. We used liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry to (i) quantify 184 MPs in the influent and effluent of the CAS process; (ii) characterize temporal dynamics of MP removal and biotransformation rate constants; and (iii) discover biotransformations linked to temporally variable MP biotransformation rate constants.

Animal production predominantly contributes to antibiotic profiles in the Yangtze River.

Human-induced antibiotic pollution in the world's large rivers poses significant risk to riverine ecosystems, water quality, and human health. This study identified geophysical and socioeconomic factors driving antibiotic pollution in the Yangtze River by quantifying 83 target antibiotics in water and sediment samples collected in its 6300-km-long reach, followed by source apportionment and statistical modeling. Total antibiotic concentrations ranged between 2.

Combined Targeting of Pathogenetic Mechanisms in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors Elicits Synergistic Antitumor Effects.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) are the second most common malignancy of the pancreas. Surgery remains the only curative treatment for localized disease. For patients with inoperable advanced or metastatic disease, few targeted therapies are available, but their efficacy is unpredictable and variable.

The Screening and COnsensus Based on Practices and Evidence (SCOPE) Program Results of a Survey on Daily Practice Patterns for Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer-A Swiss Perspective in the Context of an International Viewpoint.

In Switzerland, physicians do not have national guidelines for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patient care and utilize international versions for management recommendations. Moreover, information about adherence to these guidelines and real-world practice patterns in Switzerland or other countries is lacking. The Screening and COnsensus based on Practices and Evidence (SCOPE) program were designed by an international expert panel of gastrointestinal oncologists to gather real-world insights in the current clinical setting to manage patients with mCRC who have received prior treatment.

Communicating Confidence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Identification via High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are important environmental contaminants, yet relatively few analytical reference standards exist for this class. Nontarget analyses performed by means of high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) are increasingly common for the discovery and identification of PFASs in environmental and biological samples. The certainty of PFAS identifications made via HRMS must be communicated through a reliable and harmonized approach.

A Tunable Porous β-Cyclodextrin Polymer Platform to Understand and Improve Anionic PFAS Removal.

Cross-linked polymers containing β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) are promising adsorbents with demonstrated removal performances for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from contaminated water sources. Despite the promising performance of some β-CD-based adsorbents for PFAS removal, many of these materials are not amenable for rational performance improvement or addressing fundamental questions about the PFAS adsorption mechanisms. These ambiguities arise from the poorly defined structure of the cross-linked polymers, especially with respect to the random substitution patterns of the cyclodextrins as well as side reactions that modify the structures of some cross-linkers.

Microbial biotransformation of aqueous film-forming foam derived polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) used in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) comprise some perfluoroalkyl substances but a larger variety of polyfluoroalkyl substances. Despite their abundance in AFFF, information is lacking on the potential transformation of these polyfluoroalkyl substances. Due to the biological and chemical stability of the repeating perfluoroalkyl -(CF)- moiety common to all known AFFF-derived PFASs, it is not immediately evident whether the microbial biotransformation mechanisms observed for other organic contaminants also govern the microbial biotransformation of polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Identifying Functional Groups that Determine Rates of Micropollutant Biotransformations Performed by Wastewater Microbial Communities.

The goal of this research was to identify functional groups that determine rates of micropollutant (MP) biotransformations performed by wastewater microbial communities. To meet this goal, we performed a series of incubation experiments seeded with four independent wastewater microbial communities and spiked them with a mixture of 40 structurally diverse MPs. We collected samples over time and used high-resolution mass spectrometry to estimate biotransformation rate constants for each MP in each experiment and to propose structures of 46 biotransformation products.

Identifying the physicochemical properties of β-cyclodextrin polymers that determine the adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids.

Cyclodextrin polymers (CDPs) are emerging adsorbents with demonstrated potential to remove perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) from water. However, little is known about how the physicochemical properties of different types of CDPs determine PFAA adsorption on CDPs. In this study, we investigated the adsorption performance of 34 CDPs which consist of 14 different crosslinkers and exhibit a wide range of physicochemical properties.

Evaluation, optimization, and application of three independent suspect screening workflows for the characterization of PFASs in water.

Suspect screening is a valuable tool for characterizing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in environmental media. Although a variety of data mining tools have been developed and applied for suspect screening of PFAS, few suspect screening workflows have undergone a comprehensive performance evaluation or optimization. The goals of this research were to: (1) evaluate and optimize three independent suspect screening workflows for the detection of PFASs in water samples; and (2) apply the optimized suspect screening workflows to an environmental sample to determine the extent to which suspect screening results converge.