Featured Articles — Latest published articles in environmental chemistry section

Published 27 October, 2026

Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology (ENCECO) journal publishes studies that examine the environmental chemistry (distribution, dynamics and fate) of pollutants, the biologic and toxic effects of man-made chemical pollutants on ecotoxicological animal models and plants.

Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology has the following sections:

Environmental Chemistry
Ecotoxicology
Environmental Remediation Strategies
Ecological Risk Assessment

Featured Articles — Latest published articles in environmental chemistry section

1. Exploring the cleaning effect of a typhoon on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the upper-ocean of the Northern South China Sea

A rare event-based field study links typhoon passage to shifts in PAH concentrations, particle–water partitioning and export from the upper ocean. The before-and-after survey and short-term vertical observations make the environmental fate of pollutants tangible, while showing why extreme weather must be considered in marine contaminant studies.

2. Solar photodegradation of chromium picolinate in the presence of Fe(III)-organic complexes: Harmful Cr(VI) accumulation and mechanisms

This study tackles an important chemical paradox: sunlight-driven transformation of an organochromium compound can generate more hazardous Cr(VI) in the presence of Fe(III)–organic complexes. Its photochemical experiments and mechanistic analysis connect fundamental reaction pathways with consequences for pollutant risk.

3. Condensation accelerates polyvinyl chloride microplastics aging via hydrogen radical generation

The authors identify condensation as an overlooked route for PVC microplastic aging even without direct light. Condensation controls, spectroscopic characterization and radical-trapping experiments connect microdroplet formation to hydrogen-radical chemistry and polymer bond cleavage.

4. Role of competitive adsorption between microplastics and dissolved organic matter in triggering abrupt changes in soil free heavy metal dynamics

Competitive interactions among microplastics, dissolved organic matter and metals can produce abrupt, non-linear changes in freely available heavy metals. By moving beyond single-sorbent assumptions, the study highlights the importance of multi-component environmental interfaces in predicting metal mobility and exposure.

5. Chlorine release induced by contact electrification between polyvinyl chloride microplastics and moist air

The paper demonstrates that friction between PVC microplastics and moist air can induce interfacial electron transfer, C–Cl cleavage and reactive chlorine formation. It offers a distinctive mechanistic perspective on how airborne plastic particles may participate in atmospheric chemistry rather than behaving solely as passive carriers.

6. Coupling of DOM and mercury methylators in nascent high-altitude proglacial lakes: A response to different recharge periods

Combining dissolved organic matter characterization with microbial genomic evidence, this study examines how changing glacial recharge may affect mercury methylation potential in newly formed high-altitude lakes. It brings climate-driven ecosystem change together with environmental biogeochemistry and contaminant transformation.

7. Cross-media transport of legacy and novel per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soil profiles, groundwater and surface water: Implications for environmental modelling and risk assessment across terrestrial-aquatic Interface

The cross-media design tracks legacy and emerging PFAS across soil profiles, groundwater and surface waters. It is particularly relevant for understanding terrestrial–aquatic connectivity, transport pathways and the limits of assessing PFAS contamination in a single environmental compartment.

8. Comparison of extraction methods for dissolved organic matter characterization by high-resolution mass spectrometry and evaluation of the impacts of chlorine disinfection

Authors: Francisco Zafra-Navarro | Mira Petrovic | Maria José Farré

A systematic comparison of ten solid-phase extraction sorbents shows that sample preparation materially changes the molecular fingerprint of natural and chlorinated dissolved organic matter obtained by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Validation with drinking-water treatment samples makes this a practical contribution to more defensible environmental analysis.

9. Systematic source–sink–fate framework for emerging contaminants in an industrial park of Guangdong, China: Source profiles, removal inefficiencies, and ecological risks

This integrated source–sink–fate study connects industrial emissions and wastewater treatment with downstream contaminant occurrence and ecological risk. Its value for promotion lies in showing how chemical source profiles, treatment inefficiencies and environmental measurements can be brought together in one management-relevant framework.

10. Spatiotemporal patterns, environmental drivers, and ecological risks of pharmaceuticals and their transformation products in estuarine waters

By examining parent pharmaceuticals alongside their transformation products, this study expands monitoring beyond the original chemicals. Its spatiotemporal and environmental-driver analysis highlights why transformation processes matter for interpreting contaminant patterns in estuarine waters.

11. In vivo nitration mechanisms of bisphenol compounds in vegetables and risk assessment at the cellular and subcellular levels

Authors: Zelian Yu, Xiaojia Li, Xiangxiang Li, Yina Guan, Tian Gao, Kai Zheng, Chunguang Liu

The study identifies nitrogen-containing products derived from bisphenol F in vegetables and uses subcellular investigations, inhibitor experiments and molecular analyses to connect reactive nitrogen species with chloroplast-associated transformation. It places chemical transformation inside edible plants at the center of environmental chemistry and raises a clear food-safety question. The toxicity evidence includes predictions and a cell model, so field-scale dietary risks should not be overstated.

12. Heterogeneous aggregation of microplastics and mineral particles in aquatic environments: Effects of surface functional groups, pH, and electrolytes

Authors: Yanhua Wang, Zhengli Tang, Yingnan Liu, Yilin Qian, Shuo Yang, Anqi Wang, Zhibao Dong, Baoshan Xing

By comparing pristine and protein-coated polyethylene with different oxide and clay minerals, this research investigates how surface chemistry, electrolytes and pH influence heteroaggregation. It offers a mechanistically focused account of particle mobility and potential transport behavior in aquatic systems, complementing pollutant occurrence studies.

13. High-resolution two-dimensional mapping of arsenic concentration in soil-water micro-interfaces with diffusive gradients in thin films

Authors: Xitong Li; Jiahui Zuo; Chuangchuang Zhang; Tieliang Zhang; Zeying He; Qiwen Zhou; Yujie Zhao; Wenjng Liu

This work develops a bio-TiO2-based DGT binding material for high-resolution two-dimensional arsenic measurements. Its imaging approach exposes microscale chemical heterogeneity that bulk measurements can miss, providing a useful technique for understanding contaminant mobility in soils and sediments.

14. Fate of trace elements and emerging environmental pollutants (benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles) from a glacier-fed river in the mixing zone of an Arctic fjord system

Authors: Jos´ephine Amey, Øyvind Mikkelsen

Field measurements of trace elements, benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles follow contaminant patterns where glacier-fed freshwater mixes with seawater. The work connects a remote polar environment with contaminant transport, sediment interactions and changing freshwater inputs, offering an environmentally relevant fate study.

15. A highly sensitive biosensor for estradiol detection in environmental water samples using aptamer conformational switching and RCA-Cas12a amplification

Authors: Chenqi Niu, Chong Zhang, Changwen Ye

An estradiol-binding aptamer coupled with rolling-circle amplification and Cas12a produces a sensitive analytical method for environmental water. Reported detection limits reach 5.2 ng/L, with spike recoveries of 89–110% in wastewater. This paper adds methodological breadth to the selection, while requiring further development for lower-concentration samples and simpler field deployment.

16. Modelling the association between the El Ni ˜ no Southern Oscillation and levels of legacy pollutants in Alaskan seabird eggs from 1999 to 2010

Authors: Caitlin A. McConaghy; Vrinda Kalia; Amina Salamova; Lance A. Waller; Matthew O. Gribble

Using seabird eggs collected from Alaska between 1999 and 2010, this study models associations between ENSO phases and legacy organic pollutants. Its combination of long-term biomonitoring and climate-related statistical analysis offers an engaging perspective on how climate variability may influence contaminant exposure in remote ecosystems. The associations should not be presented as direct proof of a specific transport mechanism.

17. Still there: Persistent Organic Pollutants in fish from two Italian high-mountain lakes

Authors: Aina Queral-Beltran; Paolo Pastorino; Marino Prearo; Romà Tauler; Silvia Lacorte

This field-based study combines validated GC–Orbitrap mass spectrometry with fish samples from two alpine lakes collected across multiple years. Detecting several long-regulated POPs in fish demonstrates the persistence of legacy contamination in remote ecosystems and underscores the value of continued surveillance. The study documents occurrence and bioaccumulation rather than directly establishing contaminant transport pathways.

18. A comprehensive analytical approach to monitoring selected emerging contaminant classes in sewage sludge and e-waste from Norway

Authors: Daniel Gutiérrez-Martín; Gabriela Castro; Susana V. González; Hans Peter H. Arp; Rebeca López-Serna; Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos

Featured angle: One analytical workflow for 75 contaminants across complex waste matrices

The authors developed and applied a validated UPLC–MS/MS workflow for 75 contaminants spanning seven chemical classes in sewage sludge and electronic waste. Its cross-matrix approach and method-performance data make it especially suitable for showcasing ENCECO’s environmental analytical chemistry expertise and practical relevance to waste management.

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