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There has been a significant investment in research to define exposures and potential hazards of pharmaceuticals in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. A substantial number of integrated environmental risk assessments have been developed in Europe, North America and many other regions for these situations. In contrast, comparatively few empirical studies have been conducted for human and veterinary pharmaceuticals that are likely to enter coastal and marine ecosystems. This is a critical knowledge gap given the significant increase in coastal human populations around the globe and the growth of coastal megacities, together with the increasing importance of coastal aquaculture around the world. There is increasing evidence that pharmaceuticals are present and are impacting on marine and coastal environments. This paper reviews the sources, impacts and concentrations of pharmaceuticals in marine and coastal environments to identify knowledge gaps and suggests focused case studies as a priority for future research.

Wastewater is a potential treasure trove of chemicals that reflects population behavior and health status. Wastewater-based epidemiology has been employed to determine population-scale consumption of chemicals, particularly illicit drugs, across different communities and over time. However, the sociodemographic or socioeconomic correlates of chemical consumption and exposure are unclear. This study explores the relationships between catchment specific sociodemographic parameters and biomarkers in wastewater generated by the respective catchments. Domestic wastewater influent samples taken during the 2016 Australian census week were analyzed for a range of diet, drug, pharmaceutical, and lifestyle biomarkers. We present both linear and rank-order (i.e., Pearson and Spearman) correlations between loads of 42 biomarkers and census-derived metrics, index of relative socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), median age, and 40 socioeconomic index for area (SEIFA) descriptors. Biomarkers of caffeine, citrus, and dietary fiber consumption had strong positive correlations with IRSAD, while tramadol, atenolol, and pregabalin had strong negative correlation with IRSAD. As expected, atenolol and hydrochlorothiazide correlated positively with median age. We also found specific SEIFA descriptors such as occupation and educational attainment correlating with each biomarker. Our study demonstrates that wastewater-based epidemiology can be used to study sociodemographic influences and disparities in chemical consumption.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained widespread attention due to their adverse effects on health and environment. Developing efficient technology to capture PFAS from contaminated sources remains a great challenge. In this study, we introduce a type of reusable polymeric sorbent (PFPE-IEX + ) for rapid, efficient, and selective removal of multiple PFAS impurities from various contaminated water sources. The resin achieves >98% removal efficiency ([PFPE-IEX + ] = 0.5–5 mg mL −1 , [PFAS] 0  = 1–10 ppb in potable water and landfill leachate) and >500 mg g −1 sorption capacity for the 11 types of examined PFAS. We achieve efficient PFAS removal without breakthrough and subsequent resin regeneration and demonstrate good PFAS recovery in a proof-of-concept cartridge setup. The outcomes of this study offer valuable guidance to the design of platforms for efficient and selective PFAS capture from contaminated water, such as drinking water and landfill leachate. It is challenging to remove Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. Here, authors developed a polymer sorbent capable of selectively and efficiently removing PFAS from contaminated water sources to levels below detection limits.

Mismanagement of plastic waste has become an emerging concern as large plastic items fragment into microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in the environment, which, in turn pose potential environmental and human health risks. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) is an emerging analytical method for MNPs in environmental matrices, but there are uncertainties in the analysis as it is an indirect technique. To date, studies on the impact of molecular weight and tacticity on pyrolysis product formation of polystyrene (PS) using Py-GC-MS are scarce. To provide more insight on potential limitations with the analysis of PS, this study investigated eleven PS standards with a wide range of molecular weights (1,400–1,080,000 g/mol) and tacticities (isotactic, atactic, and syndiotactic) to evaluate how pyrolysis product formation varies and impacts quantification. Isotactic and syndiotactic polystyrene produced higher relative amounts of dimer and trimer compared to atactic polystyrene, irrespective of molecular weight. Additionally, five standards, covering a range of tacticities and molecular weights (1,400–476,000 g/mol), were used to quantify the PS concentrations of commercial products and assess their impact on quantifying the correct masses. Overestimations were mainly observed when atactic polystyrene with low molecular weight (1,400 g/mol) was used to calculate the concentration of PS, while the concentrations calculated using standards above 250,000 g/mol were similar regardless of tacticity. Assessment of the formation of the different pyrolysis products also provided the first indication that 3 consumer products were comprised of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), providing the opportunity for mis-identification as PS and the necessity of monitoring multiple PS pyrolysis products and their concentration ratios to assess for this. Therefore, it is critical to carefully select calibration standards and monitor pyrolysis products for the accurate quantification of PS in samples. Highlights ∙ Py-GC-MS analysis of polystyrene (PS) with different tacticity and Mw ∙ Eleven consumer products tested for reliability of reporting PS concentrations ∙ Significant overestimation when standard molecular weight < 250,000 g/mol ∙ Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene products provide false positive of PS in samples

IntroductionPhthalates and bisphenols, chemicals commonly used in the production of plastic products, exhibit endocrine disrupting properties linked to obesity and systemic inflammation. Given the ubiquitous use of plastic chemicals, their adverse impact on human health is of great importance. In this protocol, we describe a randomised controlled trial aimed at testing whether minimising exposure to plastics and plastic-associated chemicals (PACs) in community-dwelling adults with cardiometabolic risk factors can reduce urinary excretion of PACs and improve cardiometabolic health.Methods and analysisThe study will recruit (n=60) community-dwelling adults (18–60 years) with cardiometabolic risk factors, characterised by a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m2 and waist circumference of ≥88 cm in women and ≥102 cm in men. Participants will be randomised to a control (n=30) or an intervention group (n=30) receiving a 4-week diet and lifestyle modification designed to reduce plastic exposure, which includes the replacement of all food, kitchen utensils and equipment, personal care and cleaning products. The primary outcome is a reduction in urinary excretion of bisphenols after the 4-week intervention compared with the control arm. The secondary outcomes are the reduction in urinary excretion of low and high molecular weight phthalates. Finally, tertiary outcomes investigate improvements to cardiometabolic biomarkers, body composition, waist circumference and blood pressure. Participants will self-collect urine, stool and nasal lavage samples a day before beginning the intervention and at the end of each week. Fasting blood samples and health assessments will be collected during clinic visits: at baseline, mid-point and a day after the intervention period. Urinary PAC excretion and cardiometabolic health outcomes will be compared between the intervention and control groups.Ethics and disseminationThe PERTH Trial has ethics approval from the University of Western Australia Human Research Ethics Committee; 2021-ET001118. Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences.Trial registration numberNCT06571994.

The rapid emergence since the mid-2000s of a large and diverse range of substances originally designed as legal alternatives to more established illicit drugs (pragmatically clustered and termed new psychoactive substances; [NPS]) has challenged traditional approaches to drug monitoring, surveillance, control, and public health responses. In this section of the Series, we describe the emergence of NPS and consider opportunities for strengthening the detection, identification, and responses to future substances of concern. First, we explore the definitional complexity of the term NPS. Second, we describe the origins and drivers surrounding NPS, including motivations for use. Third, we summarise evidence on NPS availability, use, and associated harms. Finally, we use NPS as a case example to explore challenges and opportunities for future drug monitoring, surveillance, control, and public health responses. We posit that the current means of responding to emerging substances might no longer be fit for purpose in a world in which different substances can be rapidly introduced, and where people who use drugs can change preferences on the basis of market availability.

Introduction: During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia implemented a series of international and interstate border restrictions. The state of Queensland experienced lim- ited COVID-19 transmission and relied on lockdowns to stem any emerging COVID-19 outbreaks. However, early detection of new outbreaks was difficult. In this paper, we describe the wastewater surveillance program for SARS-CoV-2 in Queensland, Australia, and report two case studies in which we aimed to assess the potential for this program to provide early warning of new community trans- mission of COVID-19. Both case studies involved clusters of localised transmission, one originating in a Brisbane suburb (Brisbane Inner West) in July-August 2021, and the other originating in Cairns, North Queensland in February-March 2021. Materials and Methods: Publicly available COVID-19 case data derived from the notifiable conditions (NoCs) registry from the Queensland Health data portal were cleaned and merged spatially with the wastewater surveillance data using statistical area 2 (SA2) codes. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of wastewater detection for predicting the presence of COVID-19 reported cases were calculated for the two case study sites. Results: Early warnings for local transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through wastewater surveillance were noted in both the Brisbane Inner West cluster and the Cairns cluster. The positive predictive value of wastewater detection for the presence of notified cases of COVID-19 in Brisbane Inner West and Cairns were 71.4% and 50%, respectively. The negative predictive value for Brisbane Inner West and Cairns were 94.7% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the utility of wastewater surveillance as an early warning tool in low COVID-19 transmission settings.

Pesticides have been used in large amounts around the world for decades and are responsible for environmental pollution and various adverse effects on human health. Analysis of untreated wastewater can deliver useful information on pesticides’ use in a particular area and allow the assessment of human exposure to certain substances. A wide-scope screening method, based on liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, was applied, using both target and suspect screening methodologies. Daily composite influent wastewater samples were collected for seven or eight consecutive days in Athens between 2014 and 2020 and analyzed for 756 pesticides, their environmental transformation products and their human metabolites. Forty pesticides were quantified at mean concentrations up to 4.9 µg/L (tralkoxydim). The most abundant class was fungicides followed by herbicides, insect repellents, insecticides and plant growth regulators. In addition, pesticide transformation products and/or metabolites were detected with high frequency, indicating that research should be focused on them. Human exposure was evaluated using the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach and 3-ethyl-carbamoyl benzoic acid and cis-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalimide were proposed as potential WBE biomarkers. Wastewater analysis revealed the presence of unapproved pesticides and indicated that there is an urgent need to include more transformation products in target databases.

Explanted polypropylene (PP) surgical mesh has frequently been reported to show surface alterations, such as cracks and flaking. However, to date the consequence of PP mesh degradation is not clearly understood, particularly its potential to influence the biological host response of surrounding tissues. Of particular concern is a possible host reaction to polypropylene particles released through degradation of surgical mesh in vivo. This concern is driven by previous studies which have postulated that an oxidative stress environment has the potential to etch away particles from the surface of a PP fibers. The release of such particles is of considerable significance as particles in the nano‐ to micro range have been shown to have the capacity to irritate cells and stimulate the immune system. The authors are not aware of any previous studies that have attempted to characterize, quantify or identify any particles released from PP mesh after exposure to an oxidative stress environment. Characterization of the PP mesh, post oxidative stress exposure, including identification of particles was achieved through application of a range of techniques: low voltage‐scanning electron microscopy (LV‐SEM), pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Pyr‐GCMS), nano‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (nano‐FTIR), scattering‐type, scanning near‐field optical microscopy (s‐SNOM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) and uniaxial tensile testing. The findings of this study indicate that oxidative stress alone is a major factor in the production of PP particle debris. PP debris identified within solution, using Pyr‐GCMS, was shown to be in order of the micron scale. Explanted polypropylene (PP) surgical mesh has frequently been reported to show surface alterations. An oxidative stress environment has the potential to etch away particles from the surface of a PP fibers. The findings of this study indicate that oxidative stress alone is a major factor in the production of PP particle debris, which express unique surface chemistries.