Artificial turf, a consumer product growing in usage in the United States, contains diverse chemicals, some of which are endocrine disruptive. Endocrine effects from turf material extracts have been primarily limited to one component, crumb rubber, of these multi-material products. We present in vitro bioactivities from non-weathered and weathered turf sample extracts, including multiple turf components. All weathered samples were collected from real-world turf fields. Non-weathered versus weathered differentially affected the androgen (AR), estrogen (ER), glucocorticoid (GR), and thyroid receptors (TR) in reporter bioassays. While weathered extracts more efficaciously activated peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ), this did not translate to greater in vitro adipogenic potential. All turf extracts activated the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). High AhR-efficacy extracts induced modest rat cardiomyoblast toxicity in an AhR-dependent manner. Our data demonstrate potential endocrine and cardiometabolic effects from artificial turf material extracts, warranting further investigation into potential exposures and human health effects.

Leaching of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during the post-consumer disposal of food contact materials (FCMs) poses a potential environmental threat but has seldom been evaluated. This study characterized the leaching behavior of PFAS and unidentified precursors from six common FCMs and assessed the impact of environmental conditions on PFAS release during disposal. The total concentration of 21 PFAS ranged from 3.2 to 377 ng/g in FCMs, with PFAS leachability into water varying between 1.1-42.8 %. Increasing temperature promoted PFAS leaching, with leached nine primary PFAS (∑9PFAS) reaching 46.3, 70.4, and 102 ng/L at 35, 45, and 55 ℃, respectively. Thermodynamic analysis (∆G>0, ∆H>0, and ∆S<0) indicated hydrophobic interactions control PFAS leaching. The presence of dissolved organic matter in synthetic leachate increased the leached ∑9PFAS from 47.1 to 103 ng/L but decreased PFBS, PFOS, and 6:2 FTS leaching. The total release of seven perfluorocarboxylic acids (∑7PFCAs) from takeaway food packaging waste was estimated to be 0.3-8.2 kg/y to landfill leachate and 0.6-15.4 kg/y to incineration plant leachate, contributing 0.2-4.8 % and 0.1-3.2 % of total ∑7PFCAs in each leachate type. While the study presents a refined methodology for estimating PFAS release during disposal, future research is needed on the indirect contribution from precursors.

1,4-Dioxane is a probable human carcinogen and a persistent aquatic contaminant. Cometabolic biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane is a promising low-cost and effective treatment technology; however, further demonstration is needed for treating landfill leachate. This technology was tested in two full-scale moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) treating raw landfill leachate with tetrahydrofuran selected as the cometabolite. The raw leachate contained on average 82 μg/L of 1,4-dioxane and before testing the MBBRs removed an average of 38% and 42% of 1,4-dioxane, respectively. First, tetrahydrofuran was added to MBBR 1, and 1,4-dioxane removal was improved to an average of 73%, with the control MBBR removing an average of 37% of 1,4-dioxane. During this period, an optimal dose of 2 mg/L of tetrahydrofuran was identified. Tetrahydrofuran was then fed to both MBBRs, where the 1,4-dioxane removal was on average 73% and 80%. Cometabolic treatment at the landfill significantly reduced the concentration of 1,4-dioxane received from the landfill at a downstream wastewater treatment and indirect potable reuse facility, reducing the load of 1,4-dioxane from 44% to 24% after the study. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Cometabolic degradation of leachate 1,4-dioxane with THF in MBBRs is a feasible treatment technology and a low-cost technique when retrofitting existing biological treatment facilities. The MBBRs can be operated at a range of temperatures, require no operational changes beyond THF addition, and operate best at a mass ratio of THF to 1,4-dioxane of 24. Source control of 1,4-dioxane significantly reduces the concentration of 1,4-dioxane in downstream wastewater treatment plants and potable reuse facilities.

Mixotrophic microalgal solutions are efficient nutrient recovery methods, with potential to prolong the cultivation seasons in temperate climates. To improve operation sustainability, the study used landfill leachate for nitrogen source and whey permeate for phosphorus and organic carbon. A non-axenic polyculture, dominated by green algae, was cultivated in mixotrophic mode on glucose or whey permeate compared to a photoautotrophic control in outdoor pilot-scaled raceway ponds during Nordic spring and autumn. The whey permeate treatment had the highest algal growth rate and productivity (0.48 d-1, 183.8 mg L-1 d-1), nutrient removal (total nitrogen: 21.71 mg L-1 d-1, total phosphorus: 3.05 mg L-1 d-1) and recovery rate (carbon: 85.19 mg L-1 d-1, nitrogen: 17.01 mg L-1 d-1, phosphorus: 2.58 mg L-1 d-1). When grown in whey permeate, algal cultures demonstrated consistent productivity and biochemical composition in high (spring) and low light conditions (autumn), suggesting the feasibility of year-round production in Nordic conditions.

Agricultural environments are becoming increasingly contaminated with plastic pollution. Plastics in the environment can also provide a unique habitat for microbial biofilm, termed the \'plastisphere\', which can also support the persistence of human pathogens such as Salmonella. Human enteric Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium can enter agricultural environments via flooding or from irrigation with contaminated water. Using soil mesocosms we quantified the ability of S. Typhimurium to persist on microplastic beads in two agriculturally relevant soils, under ambient and repeat flood scenarios. S. Typhimurium persisted in the plastisphere for 35 days in both podzol and loamy soils; while during multiple flood events was able to survive in the plastisphere for up to 21 days. S. Typhimurium could dissociate from the plastisphere during flooding events and migrate through soil in leachate, and importantly could colonise new plastic particles in the soil, suggesting that plastic pollution in agricultural soils can aid S. Typhimurium persistence and facilitate further dissemination within the environment. The potential for increased survival of enteric human pathogens in agricultural and food production environments due to plastic contamination poses a significant public health risk, particularly in potato or root vegetable systems where there is the potential for direct contact with crops.

The use of green methods to treat industrial waste and waste reuse has become a key environmental issue. In order to achieve this goal, this study treated waste phosphogypsum (PG) and produced modified PG biochar to adsorb and remove phosphorus from PG leachate, so that the PG pollution problem was controlled. In this study, PG was modified with sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) to prepare a modified PG biochar that was used for the removal of phosphorus-containing wastewater. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the modified PG revealed that the main component was calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and a suitable amount of modified PG could load calcium oxide (CaO) onto the biochar and improve its physical properties. The experimental results showed that the modified PG biochar had a maximum phosphorus adsorption capacity of 132 mg/g. A further investigation of the mechanism of adsorption revealed the importance of electrostatic attraction and chemical precipitation, and it was found that the CaO in the modified PG biochar could effectively facilitate the conversion of phosphate to hydroxylapatite (Ca5(PO4)3OH) in water. The phosphorus removal rate from leachate obtained from a landfill containing PG was 99.38% for a specific dose of the modified PG biochar. In this study, a PG pollution control technology was developed to realize the goal of replacing waste with waste.

A combined process of coagulation pretreatment and three-stage membrane aeration biofilm reactor (MABR) system was successfully applied for the first time to treat actual municipal solid waste leachate (MSWL), which was characterized by high concentrations of toxic hard-to-degrade organics and salinity. The results showed that 9.8%-21.3% of organics could be removed from actual MSWL by coagulation with polymeric aluminum chloride (PAC). Three-stage MABR contributed 95.6% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, with the influent COD concentration ranging from 6000 to 7000 mg/L. At the same time, the removal efficiencies of total nitrogen (TN) and ammonia (NH4+-N) could reach to 84.3% and 79.9% without the addition of external carbon source, respectively. The nitrifying/denitrifying bacteria were enriched in the biofilm including Thiobacillus, Azoarcus and Methyloversatilis, which supported the MABR with high nitrogen removal efficiency and significantly toxic tolerance. Principal component analysis (PCA) and the Pearson correlation coefficients (r) illustrated that aeration pressure is a crucial operational parameter, exhibiting a strong correlation between the MABR performance and microbial communities. This work demonstrates that MABR is an effective and low-energy option for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen in the treatment of MSWL.

Conventional plastics have become a major environmental concern due to their persistence and accumulation in marine ecosystems. The development of potential degradable polymers (PBP), such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and polylactic acid (PLA), has gained attention as an alternative to mitigate plastic pollution, since they have the potential to biodegrade under certain conditions, and their production is increasing as replacement of conventional polyolefins. This study aimed to assess and compare the toxicity of leachates of pre-compounding PBP (PLA and the PHA, polyhydroxybutyrate-covalerate (PHBv)) and polypropylene (PP) on five marine planktonic species. A battery of standard bioassays using bacteria, microalgae, sea urchin embryos, mussel embryos and copepod nauplii was conducted to assess the toxicity of leachates from those polymers. Additionally, the presence of chemical additives in the leachates was also verified through GC-MS and LC-HRMS analysis. Results showed that PHBv leachates exhibited higher toxicity compared to other polymers, with the microalgae Rhodomonas salina, being the most sensitive species to the tested leachates. On the other hand, PP and PLA generally displayed minimal to no toxicity in the studied species. Estimated species sensitivity distribution curves (SSD) show that PHBv leachates can be 10 times more hazardous to marine plankton than PP or PLA leachates, as demonstrated by the calculated Hazardous Concentration for 5 % of species (HC5). Qualitative chemical analysis supports the toxicological results, with 80 % of compounds being identified in PHBv leachates of which 2,4,6-trichlorophenol is worth mentioning due to the deleterious effects to aquatic biota described in literature. These findings underscore the fact that whereas environmental persistence can be targeted using PBP, the issue of chemical safety remains unsolved by some alternatives, such as PHBv. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the toxicity profiles of PBP materials through a priori toxicological risk assessment is vital for their responsible application as alternatives to conventional plastics.

Spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have emerged as a major source of waste due to their low recovery rate. The physical disposal of spent LIBs can lead to the leaching of their contents into the surrounding environment. While it is widely agreed that hazardous substances such as nickel and cobalt in the leachate can pose a threat to the environment and human health, the overall composition and toxicity of LIB leachate remain unclear. In this study, a chemical analysis of leachate from spent LIBs was conducted to identify its primary constituents. The ecotoxicological parameters of the model organism, rotifer Brachionus asplanchnoidis, were assessed to elucidate the toxicity of the LIB leachate. Subsequent experiments elucidated the impacts of the LIB leachate and its representative components on the malondialdehyde (MDA) level, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme activity of B. asplanchnoidis. The results indicate that both the LIB leachate and its components are harmful to individual rotifers due to the adverse effects of stress-induced disturbances in biochemical indicators, posing a threat to population development. The intensified poisoning phenomenon under combined stress suggests the presence of complex synergistic effects among the components of LIB leachate. Due to the likely environmental and biological hazards, LIBs should be strictly managed after disposal. Additionally, more economical and eco-friendly recycling and treatment technologies need to be developed and commercialized.

Surface water resources are the most precious, yet they are also the most vulnerable to pollution. Consequently, maintaining the sustainability of water supplies is critical for livestock support to achieve SDG goals. Landfill leachate poses a significant threat to water resources in developing countries. This study aims to determine how the Hosanna town landfill site affects the Jewie River by analysing the quality of the Alela and Ajew streams and the landfill leachate in both wet and dry seasons. Furthermore, assess the suitability of the water quality for agricultural purposes. The leachate pollution index (LPI), Canadian Council Member of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCMEWQI), and irrigation water quality indices (IWQI) were computed for both seasons using two composite leachate samples and five flow-pace composite river samples. In the wet season, the leachate pollution indices for L1 and L2 ranged from 20.87 to 22.47, respectively. During the dry season, the leachate pollutant index of L1 and L2 was found to be 24.42 and 27.98. Only the Ajew River stream was affected during the dry season because the landfill site is only 46 m away. Both the Ajew and Alela River streams are infested during the rainy season. Irrigation index concentrations revealed that the river water is suitable for cultivation. The early stages of landfill waste maturation are evident from the LPI results. Relocating the dump site is necessary to safeguard water resources because leachate has entered the river streams.