Enhancing the efficient degradation of BPS using the BPNS-CdS composite catalyst under visible light.

Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNS), a novel two-dimensional nanomaterial, find extensive applications in the field of photocatalysis. With the prohibition of bisphenol A (BPA), the utilization of bisphenol S (BPS), which is more resistant to degradation than BPA, has been steadily increasing. In this study, few-layer BPNS was prepared using an improved liquid-phase exfoliation method, showcasing its commendable specific surface area and notable adsorption capacity. Subsequently, a new type of nanocomposite material, BPNS-Cadmium sulfide (CdS), was hydrothermal synthesized involving BPNS and CdS. We conducted comparative assessments of BPNS, CdS, and their composite materials to identify the most efficient catalysts. Ultimately, we found that the composite material BPNS-CdS exhibited the highest capability for degrading BPS in an alkaline environment, achieving an impressive degradation rate of 86.9%. Notably, the degradation rate remained higher in an acidic environment compared to a neutral one. Through Electron Spin Resoance (ESR) experiments, it is revealed that BPNS-CdS, when exposed to visible light, generates •O2-, •OH, and h+ as confirmed. Additionally, we tested and validated the carrier separation and migration abilities of BPNS-CdS while also calculating the band gap for each material. Building upon these results, a possible photocatalysis mechanism experiment was proposed. Finally, the degradation products were analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and put forth a plausible pathway for the BPS degradation, and it was found that 4-Phenolsulfonic acid, Ethyl protocatechuate and Isophthalic acid are the main intermediates of BPS. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the synergy between non-metallic catalysts like BPNS and metal catalysts like CdS. It also offers new insights into the degradation mechanisms and pathways for BPS.

Research Progress of Methods for Degradation of Bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor widely used in industrial production, is found in various environmental sources. Despite numerous reports on BPA degradation and removal, the details remain unclear. This paper aims to address this gap by providing a comprehensive review of BPA degradation methods, focusing on biological, physical, and chemical treatments and the factors that affect the degradation of BPA. Firstly, the paper uses VOSviewer software (version 1.6.15) to map out the literature on BPA degradation published in the past 20 years, which reveals the trends and research focus in this field. Next, the advantages and limitations of different BPA degradation methods are discussed. Overall, this review highlights the importance of BPA degradation to protect the environment and human health. The paper provides significant insights for researchers and policymakers to develop better approaches for BPA degradation and removal.

Correction: Han et al. Study on the Joint Toxicity of BPZ, BPS, BPC and BPF to Zebrafish. Molecules 2021, 26, 4180.

In the original publication [...].

Burden levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls in typical edible meat animals.

The concentrations and distributions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the whole blood and meat of eight typical edible animals (chicken, donkey, horse, cattle, rabbit, sheep, duck, and pig) were illustrated. Total concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and PCBs (on a basis of liquid volume) in animal bloods were 142-484 pg/L and 46-62 ng/L, respectively. Total concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs (on a basis of dry weight (dw) and lipid weight (lw)) in animal meat samples were 0.47-1090 pg/g dw (0.47-4513 pg/g lw) and 7.2-23 ng/g dw (10-776 ng/g lw), respectively. TEQs for both PCDD/Fs and PCBs in animal blood and meat samples were (67 ± 27) pg/L and (5.3 ± 14) pg/g dw (24 ± 56 pg/g lw), respectively. Besides, the dietary intakes of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were also estimated. Chicken and pig contributed more TEQs than other animals. Chicken contributed the most (95%) with high toxicity, followed by pig (3.4%) with high consumption. The dietary intake of chicken might pose risks to consumers who prefer to eat chicken products, who should comprehensively consider the essential nutrients and contaminants in food during dietary intake.

Effects of BPZ and BPC on Oxidative Stress of Zebrafish under Different pH Conditions.

To further understand the toxic effects of bisphenol Z (BPZ) and bisphenol C (BPC) on aquatic organisms, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to 0.02 mg/L BPZ and BPC mixed solution in the laboratory for 28 days. The impacts of BPZ and BPC on the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, expression of antioxidant genes, and estrogen receptor genes in zebrafish under different pH conditions were studied. The changes of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), reduced glutathione (GSH), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (POD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the zebrafish were detected by spectrophotometry. The mRNA relative expression levels of CAT, GSH, SOD, ERa, and ERb1 in the experimental group were determined by fluorescence quantitative PCR. The results showed that SOD activity and MDA content were inhibited under different pH conditions, and the activities of GSH, GSH-Px, and POD were induced. The activities of POD and GSH induced in the neutral environment were stronger than those in an acidic and alkaline environment. The mRNA relative expression levels of SOD and GSH were consistent with the activities of SOD and GSH. The mRNA relative expression levels of CAT were induced more strongly in the neutral environment than in acidic and alkaline conditions, the mRNA relative expression levels of ERa were induced most weakly in a neutral environment, and the mRNA relative expression levels of ERb1 were inhibited the most in a neutral environment.

Investigation of the Adsorption of Sulfamethoxazole by Degradable Microplastics Artificially Aged by Chemical Oxidation.

In this study, three different types of microplastics were aged by the thermal activation K2S2O8 method to investigate the adsorption behavior for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in aqueous solution. The effects of pH, salinity and humic acid (HA) on adsorption behavior were also investigated. At the same time, the morphology and functional groups of microplastics before and after adsorption were characterized. As the aging time increased, the adsorption capacity of the microplastics also increased significantly. Whether it was pristine or aged, polylactic acid (PLA) had the highest adsorption capacity. The adsorption capacity of microplastics was the largest under acidic conditions, and its adsorption capacity decreased significantly in alkaline solutions. The presence of salinity inhibited the adsorption of SMX on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PP, but the adsorption capacity of PLA increases when salinity was above 10‰. The adsorption of SMX on microplastics was promoted by HA. When the concentration of HA was 20 mg/L, the adsorption capacity of PLA and PET decreased. Kinetic and isotherm fits were applied to the adsorption process. The increase in sorption capacity was related to the development of holes and cracks and the enhanced number of surface oxygen-containing functional groups. The adsorption kinetics to pristine microplastics conformed to a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, while the kinetics of the aged microplastics conformed to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. It implies that the adsorption of SMX by aging microplastics involves multiple processes. The adsorption isothermal adsorption process of SMX by microplastics accorded with Freundlich model, belonging to multi-layer adsorption.

Study on the Joint Toxicity of BPZ, BPS, BPC and BPF to Zebrafish.

Bisphenol Z (BPZ), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol C (BPC), and bisphenol F (BPF) had been widely used as alternatives to bisphenol A (BPA), but the toxicity data of these bisphenol analogues were very limited. In this study, the joint toxicity of BPZ, BPS, BPC, and BPF to zebrafish (Danio rerio) was investigated. The median half lethal concentrations (LC50) of BPZ, BPS, BPC, and BPF to zebrafish for 96 h were 6.9 × 105 µM, 3.9 × 107 µM, 7.1 × 105 µM, and1.6 × 106 µM, respectively. The joint toxicity effect of BPF-BPC (7.7 × 105-3.4 × 105µM) and BPZ-BPC (3.4 × 105-3.5 × 105µM) with the same toxic ratio showed a synergistic effect, which may be attributed to enzyme inhibition or induction theory. While the toxicity effect of the other two bisphenol analogue combined groups and multi-joint pairs showed an antagonistic effect due to the competition site, other causes need to be further explored. Meanwhile, the expression levels of the estrogen receptor genes (ERα, ERß1) and antioxidant enzyme genes (SOD, CAT, GPX) were analyzed using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in zebrafish exposure to LC50 of BPZ, BPS, BPC, and BPF collected at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Relative expression of CAT, GPX, and ERß1 mRNA declined significantly compared to the blank control, which might be a major cause of oxidant injury of antioxidant systems and the disruption of the endocrine systems in zebrafish.

Municipal Solid Waste Treatment System Increases Ambient Airborne Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes.

Landfill and incineration are the primary disposal practices for municipal solid waste (MSW) and have been considered as the critical reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, the possible transmission of ARGs from the municipal solid waste treatment system (MSWT system) to ambient air is still unclear. In this study, we collected inside and ambient air samples (PM10 and PM2.5) and potential source samples (leachate and solid waste) in the MSWT system. The results showed that the MSWT system contributed to the increased ambient airborne bacteria and associated ARGs. Forty-one antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) harboring blaTEM-1 were isolated, and the full-length nucleotide sequences of the blaTEM-1 gene (harbored by identical bacillus) from air (downwind samples) were 100% identical with those in the leachate and solid waste, indicating that the MSWT system was the important source of disperse bacteria and associated ARGs in the ambient air. The daily intake (DI) burden level of ARGs via PM inhalation was comparable with that via ingestion of drinking water but lower than the DI level via ingestion of raw vegetables. The antibiotic-resistant opportunistic pathogen Bacillus cereus was isolated from air, with a relatively high DI level of Bacillus via inhalation (104-106 copies/day) in the MSWT system. This study highlights the key pathway of airborne ARGs to human exposure.

Pollution characteristics and fate of microfibers in the wastewater from textile dyeing wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is suspected to be a significant contributor of microplastics (MPs) to the environment, and fiber is the main shape of MPs in wastewater effluent. A typical textile industry WWTP with 30,000 tons of daily treatment capacity was sampled for microfibers at different stages of the treatment process to ascertain at what stage in the treatment process the microfibers are being removed. The average abundance of microfibers was 334.1 (±24.3) items/litre in influent, and it reduced to 16.3 (±1.2) items/litre in the final effluent with a decrease of 95.1%. Despite this large reduction we calculated that this textile industry WWTP was releasing 4.89 × 108 microfibers including microplastic fibers and non-microplastic fibers into the receiving water every day. This study showed that a modest amount of microplastics being released per litre of effluent could result in significant amounts of fibers entering the environment, despite the fact that efficient removal rates of microplastic fibers and non-microplastic fibers were achieved by this modern treatment plant when dealing with such a large volume of effluent. The fate of fibers is described during the textile industry wastewater treatment process.

An assay to determine the sensitive window of embryos to chemical exposure using Xenopus tropicalis.

The frog embryo teratogenesis assay-Xenopus (FETAX) is an established method to evaluate the developmental toxicity of chemicals. In FETAX, a 48 h continuous exposure is usually conducted when the X. tropicalis embryo is used as the test model. In the present study, we exposed X. tropicalis embryos to nine known teratogens for four separate 12-h periods. The embryos showed great variations in response to nine tested compounds during different exposure periods. Based on the value of the score of malformations, the most sensitive 12 h exposure periods of embryos were significantly distinguished for all the compounds with the exception of NiCl2 . The embryos were the most sensitive to retinols (e.g. all-trans-retinoic acid and 9-cis-retinoic acid) during 0-12 h and to metal compounds (e.g. triphenlytin and CdCl2) during a 24 to 36 h exposure period. In the further 3 h exposure experiment, the most sensitive period could only be determined for one of three tested compounds. Based on the present results, we proposed an assay to determine a 12 h sensitive window of embryos to chemical exposure using Xenopus tropicalis.

Enhanced surfactant remediation of diesel-contaminated soil using O3 nanobubbles.

Currently, nanobubbles are widely discussed in environmental research due to their unique properties, including significant specific surface area, transfer efficiency, and free radical generation. In this study, O2 and O3 nanobubbles (diameters ranging from 0 to 500 nm) were combined with conventional surfactant technology to investigate their enhanced efficacy in removing diesel contaminants from soil. The impact of various factors such as surfactant concentration, temperature, and soil aging duration on pollutant removal rates was examined across different experimental approaches (stirring/flushing). Soil samples subjected to different treatments were characterized using TG-DTG and FTIR analysis, while GC/MS was employed to assess the degradation products of diesel constituents in the soil. The results indicated that the elution efficiencies of the three surfactants (SDS, SDBS, and TX-100) for diesel in soil correlated positively with concentration (0.3-1.4 CMC) and temperature (18-60 °C), and inversely with aging time (10-300 days), with the elution capacity was SDS > SDBS > TX-100. Mechanical stirring (500 rpm) and temperature variations (18-60 °C) did not affect the stability of the nanobubbles. Upon the introduction of O3 nanobubbles to the surfactant solution, there was a consistent increase in both the removal (degraded and removed) efficiency and rate of diesel under varying experimental conditions, resulting in an enhancement of removal rates by approximately 8-15%. FTIR spectroscopy showed that surfactants containing O3 nanobubbles mitigated the impact on the primary functional groups of soil organic matter. GC/MS analyses indicated that residual pollutants were predominantly alkanes, with degradation difficulty ranking as: alkanes < alkenes < cycloalkanes < aromatic compounds. TG-DTG coupled with GC/MS analysis demonstrated that O3 nanobubbles contributed to a reduction in surfactant residues. This study significantly advances our understanding of how nanobubbles facilitate and optimize surfactant-assisted remediation of contaminated soil, thereby advancing the precise application of nanobubble technology in soil remediation.

Influence of ongoing discharge from multiple wastewater treatment plants on microplastic patterns in small-scale receiving rivers.

As widely acknowledged, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) stand as significant contributors to the presence of microplastics in surface water. Nonetheless, there exists a notable research gap regarding the extent of potential pollution resulting from the concurrent and uninterrupted discharges originating from multiple WWTPs into small-scale receiving water bodies. This study endeavors to address this knowledge deficit by conducting a thorough investigation into the prevalence of microplastics in surface water. The research encompasses seven distinct locations within the Changzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the effluent of three WWTPs situated along the tributary. The results indicate differences in the distribution of microplastics in surface waters of mainstream and tributaries. While the microplastic abundance and composition showed little variation along the main stream, the tributaries displayed an overall increasing trend in microplastic abundance from upstream to downstream. Notably, the major contributors to this increase were fragments, fiber particles, and microplastics with particle sizes ranging from 100 to 300 µm. Considering that the primary distinction between the tributaries and the mainstream is the presence of the three WWTPs along the tributaries, the study conducted a correlation analysis between river surface water and effluents from these plants. The results indicated a stronger correlation between the tributaries and the effluents, suggesting that WWTPs are one of the primary factors contributing to the elevated levels of microplastics in the tributaries. Finally, a comparative analysis of microplastic abundance in the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal's Changzhou section and other regions was conducted. The findings revealed that the microplastic pollution level in the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal's Changzhou section is higher than that in most other rivers. Therefore, the issue of microplastic pollution in the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal's Changzhou section warrants our attention, particularly with regard to the effectiveness of microplastic removal by the WWTPs along its course.

Unraveling the influence of human fecal pollution on antibiotic resistance gene levels in different receiving water bodies using crAssphage indicator gene.

Discharged wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents can contaminate receiving water bodies with human feces and alter the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, we examined the co-occurrence of ARGs, human fecal pollution indicator crAssphage, and antibiotics in human feces and a series of connected receiving water bodies affected by human feces, including water from different treatment units of a WWTP, river, lake, and tap waters. Results showed that crAssphage was detected in 68.2 % of the studied water bodies, confirming widespread human fecal contamination. Both ARG and crAssphage abundances exhibited a distance-decay effect from the emission source to the receiving environment. Interestingly, the detected ARG abundance in the water bodies was significantly correlated with crAssphage abundance but not with the residual antibiotic concentration, demonstrating that the presence of ARG could largely be explained by the extent of fecal pollution, with no clear signs of antibiotic selection. In addition, 14 ARGs co-shared by human feces and water bodies were significantly correlated with crAssphage. Furthermore, a close evolutionary relationship was observed between the blaTEM-1 gene from human feces and aquatic environments. These results imply a potential ARG exchange between human feces and receiving water bodies. Overall, this study provides important insights into the distribution and sources of ARGs in water bodies affected by human fecal contamination.

Leaching behavior and evaluation of zebrafish embryo toxicity of microplastics and phthalates in take-away plastic containers.

Take-away containers are the common food contact materials (FCMs) that are widely used in daily life. However, little is known regarding the effects of different food simulants on the pollution characteristics of microplastics derived from food containers, as well as the toxic effects of the chemical substances that are leached from them. Extracts were obtained by adding organic solvents into plastic containers (polypropylene, PP; polystyrene, PS) to simulate aqueous, alcoholic, and fatty environments. The extracted substances and their toxic effects were then assessed by counting and characterizing the resulting microplastics and performing bio-acute toxicity assays. The results demonstrated that the highest abundance of microplastics occurred in PS containers in fatty environments, which was likely due to the rough surface of the PS. In contrast, organic solvents seemed more conducive to the migration of substances. Furthermore, the PP and PS extracts in an alcohol and fatty environment have significant impacts on zebrafish embryo development, including arrhythmia, pericardial cysts, and spinal curvature.

Construction of titanium-aluminum xerogel composite coagulant for removal of tetracycline in water: synergy effects and improvement mechanisms insight.

Titanium xerogel coagulant (TXC) is a new type of coagulant that has attracted much attention in recent years. However, the tetracycline removal performance of TXC was not satisfactory because low isoelectric point (pHiep) inhibited the electrical neutralization efficiency of TXC in an alkaline environment. To overcome this shortcoming, a composite xerogel coagulant (titanium-aluminum xerogel composite coagulant) was prepared. The removal of tetracycline and turbidity was used as evaluation indexes. It was proved that the combination of aluminum (III) and titanium (IV) enhanced the resistance of TXC to pH. The synthesized titanium-aluminum xerogel composite coagulant (TXAC) has an excellent removal ability of tetracycline in a wide pH range (pH = 5-10). At pH 8.8, the dosage required to remove 80% tetracycline from water decreased from 93 (TXC) to 35 mg/L (TXAC). The reason for this improvement could be attributed to (i) aluminum (III) enhanced the electric neutralization of TXC to negatively charged pollutants in an alkaline environment; (ii) the complexing ability of organic matter and aluminum (III) was enhanced. This work provides a feasible scheme for the pretreatment of tetracycline in water to meet the pretreatment requirements of special water.

Ocean current redistributed the currently using Organoamine Pesticides in Arctic summer water.

In a comprehensive study on the presence and distribution of Currently Using Organoamine Pesticides (CUOAPs) in the Arctic Ocean, this study collected and analyzed 36 surface seawater samples during the summer of 2021. The study detected 36 CUOAPs, 17 of these compounds at levels exceeding the Method Detection Limits (MDLs). Concentrations of CUOAPs ranged from 0.11 to 2.94 ng/L, exhibiting an average of 1.83 ± 0.83 ng/L. Spatial distribution analysis revealed lower CUOAP concentrations in the central Arctic Ocean, with Cycloate constituting the most abundant component (23.66 %). The investigation identified terrestrial inputs and long-range atmospheric transport as potential sources of CUOAPs in the Arctic Ocean region. The origins of individual CUOAPs appeared to be associated with application procedures and their propensity for co-occurrence at low latitudes. The study also examined the role of ocean currents in the transport and redistribution of CUOAPs in surface seawater across different regions. While ocean currents played a significant role, the influence of sea ice cover on CUOAP distribution was minimal. An ecological risk assessment analysis underscored the need for regional attention to the presence of CUOAPs in the Arctic Ocean.

Effects of BPZ, BPC, BPF, and BPS Exposure on Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio): Accumulation, Oxidative Stress, and Gene Expression.

As substitutes for bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol analogs (BPs) have been found to cause endocrine disorders and induce toxic effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the bioaccumulation and subacute toxicity of bisphenol Z (BPZ), bisphenol C (BPC), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS) to zebrafish. Five-month-old zebrafish were exposed to 1/100 LC50, 1/50 LC50, and 1/10 LC50 of BPZ, BPC, BPF, and BPS for 13 days, respectively. Bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, and related mRNA expression in zebrafish tissues were measured on days 1, 7, and 13. After exposure, the four kinds of BPs all resulted in the accumulation of concentration and lipid peroxidation in zebrafish tissues to varying degrees. BPZ and BPC had the highest bioaccumulation level and had the greatest influence on malonic dialdehyde (MDA). In addition, the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and the content of glutathione (GSH) in zebrafish tissues were also affected at different levels. However, the enzyme activities of SOD and POD were inactivated in zebrafish exposed to a high concentration of BPC. Further studies showed that BPs exposure down-regulated the transcription level of sod but up-regulated the relative expression levels of cat and gpx. The mRNA relative expression level of erα was not significantly changed, while the mRNA relative expression level of erß1 was significantly down-regulated except under BPS exposure. These results indicate that BPZ, BPC, and BPF significantly affect the expression level of the estrogen receptor (ER) in zebrafish tissues. Overall, the results suggest that exposure to waterborne BPs can cause severe oxidative stress and tissue damage in adult zebrafish that is not sufficient to kill them after 13 days of waterborne exposure. The toxicity of BPs to organisms, therefore, should be further analyzed and evaluated.

Exposure levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in human blood and the transplacental transfer characteristics in cord blood of newborns near the industrialized area.

Mono-to octa-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in pooled blood from the general population living near a typical industrialized area were investigated. Less chlorinated PCDD/Fs (mean: 2602 pg L-1) were 7.5 times those of highly chlorinated ones (mean: 349 pg L-1). The average ΣPCBs and Σdl-PCBs concentrations in human (cord) blood were 2741 (117) and 18 (0.31) ng L-1, respectively. Higher concentrations of highly chlorinated PCDD/Fs were found in females than in males across different ages. The mean concentrations (and toxic equivalents (TEQs)) of PCDD/Fs were 282 (27) pg L-1 in males and 312 (32) pg L-1 in females. The concentrations of the PCDD/Fs and PCBs increased with age for both males and females, which might be caused by the long half-lives of these compounds and decreases in metabolic rates with age as the metabolic of nutrients, food, and also PCDD/Fs and PCBs would trend to slow. The TEQ of total PCDD/Fs and PCBs was higher in blood from orthopedics patients (107 pg L-1) than other patients. This result may be associated with the bone density and pollutant bioaccumulation. In addition, total concentration of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in blood of women at reproductive age were 6.6 and 37 times the cord blood of newborns, respectively. Positive correlation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs especially for the higher chlorinated compounds between female and cord blood were discovered, which might be caused by the transplacental transfer characteristics and blood barrier for macromolecules and reduce the chemical exposure risks for newborns.

Occurrence, seasonal variations, and eco-risk of currently using organochlorine pesticides in surface seawater of the East China Sea and Western Pacific Ocean.

We studied 19 targets currently using organochlorine pesticides (CUOCPs) from 98 samples in the Western Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea collected in 2019, 2020, and 2021. The samples were analyzed using a novel High-throat/High-volume Solid-Phase Extraction method. Eighteen individual CUOCPs were above the method detection limits. The levels of ∑19CUOCPs ranged from 0.13 to 17.80 ng/L, with an average of 3.13 ± 14.67 ng/L. Dicofol was the main pollutant in the Western Pacific Ocean, while Pyridaben dominated the East China Sea. In the summer, land-source input was the primary source in the Western Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea. Historical residues were the main source in the East China Sea in spring. In the summer, the ecological risk assessment results indicated a relatively low risk to the Western Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea.

Microplastic pollution characteristic in surface water and freshwater fish of Gehu Lake, China.

Much more attention has been poured into microplastic pollution in freshwater systems recently. In the present study, the pollution of microplastics (MPs) in surface water and freshwater fish (crucian carp, etc.) were investigated from Gehu Lake, which is the second largest lake in southern Jiangsu after Taihu Lake. The result manifested that the average abundance of MPs was respectively 6.33±2.67 n/L for surface water and 10.7 items per individual for freshwater fish. The distribution of MPs in Gehu Lake varied from place to place, with the highest abundance of MPs was observed in the two estuaries of the eastern part of the lake. It was speculated that topographical factors and human factors were the main factors affecting the abundance and distribution of MPs. Transparent fibers were the main type of MPs in water samples, accounting for 69.70% of all detected particles. Meanwhile, most of the MPs ingested by freshwater fish were fibers, and the main colors were transparent and blue. In addition, the dominant size of the MPs was between 0.1 to 0.5 mm in water and fish samples. Moreover, PES, man-made fiber, and PP were the dominant polymer types in the surface water and fish samples. The results of this investigation can provide basic data for the research and management of MPs in freshwater systems.