Eco-Environmental Risks of Emerging Pollutants and Their Relationships with Climate Change

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the eco-environmental risks associated with emerging pollutants have garnered significant global attention due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicity to soil and aquatic organisms. However, further research is required in terrestrial ecosystems and marine–terrestrial interface regions to more comprehensively characterize the presence and toxicity of these pollutants in such environments. These ecosystems are crucial for elemental exchanges and play a significant role in mediating complex interactions with climate change. In this regard, it is critical to understand how emerging pollutants, such as microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and antibiotics, impact organisms in various environmental matrices and the subsequent effects on biogeochemical cycles, particularly carbon and nitrogen cycles. This Special Issue invites a broad range of theoretical, systematic, and technical analyses with respect to the following key areas:

• Microbial responses to emerging pollutants under climate change: Studies should investigate how emerging pollutants such as microplastics and PFAS impact microbial communities in diverse environments, such as soil, water, and sediments. Research should examine how these impacts disrupt ecosystem processes, including nutrient cycling and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Interactions between emerging pollutants and climate-induced environmental stressors: Research should explore how climate-induced changes, such as increased temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, affect the behavior and toxicity of emerging pollutants such as antibiotics and nanomaterials. This includes assessing their subsequent effects on environmental and human health risks.
• Impact of emerging pollutants on biogeochemical cycles: This includes examining how emerging pollutants influence microbial-mediated processes such as nitrification, denitrification, and carbon mineralization, and their overall impact on carbon and nitrogen cycles.

Although the existing literature extensively covers the environmental fate and effects of traditional pollutants, there is a critical research gap regarding the dual challenge of emerging contaminants and climate dynamics. This Special Issue aims to address this gap by focusing on the physicochemical and microbial mechanisms underlying the interactions between emerging pollutants and climate change. The goal is to enhance our ability to predict and manage the ecological and health risks associated with these pollutants in a changing climate, ultimately contributing to more effective environmental protection strategies.

Prof. Dr. Jingchun Tang
Dr. Linan Liu
Prof. Dr. Shakeel Ahmad
Guest Editors

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• emerging pollutants
• ecological toxicity
• microbial community structure
• carbon/nitrogen cycling
• greenhouse gas emissions
• marine-terrestrial interfaces
• global climate change
• sustainable development