Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as persistent environmental pollutants, posing significant ecological and human health risks. Their widespread presence in aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric ecosystems necessitates effective removal strategies. Traditional removal methods, including filtration, coagulation, and sedimentation, have demonstrated efficacy for larger MPs but struggle with nanoscale plastics. Advanced techniques, such as adsorption, membrane filtration, photocatalysis, and electrochemical methods, have shown promising results, yet challenges remain in scalability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact. Emerging approaches, including functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, AI-driven detection, and laser-based remediation, present innovative solutions for tackling MP and NP contamination. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of current and emerging strategies, evaluating their efficiency, limitations, and future prospects. By identifying key research gaps, this study aims to guide advancements in sustainable and scalable microplastic removal technologies, essential for mitigating their environmental and health implications.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are synthetic chemicals widely used to reduce the flammability of consumer products, including electronics, textiles, and furniture. Despite their effectiveness in fire prevention, BFRs pose significant environmental and health risks due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity. This review provides a comprehensive examination of BFRs, focusing on recent advancements in analytical methods for their detection and quantification in environmental and biological samples. The study explored the physicochemical properties that influence BFR distribution and transport in various matrices, including soil, water, air, sediments, and biota. The review also summarizes current knowledge on the occurrence and environmental fate of BFRs, highlighting their mobility and long-range transport. Furthermore, the study discusses the health risks associated with BFR exposure, emphasizing their endocrine-disrupting effects and impact on reproductive and neurological functions. By integrating findings from recent studies, this review aims to enhance the understanding of BFR behavior and inform regulatory strategies to mitigate their adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Heavy metals in road dusts can directly pose significant health risks through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. This study investigated the pollution, distribution, and health effect of heavy metals in street dust from industrial, capital city, and peri-urban areas of Bangladesh. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) examined eight hazardous heavy metals such as Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Mn, Cr, Cd, and Co. Results revealed that industrial areas showed the highest metal concentrations, following the order Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Ni > Co > Cd, with an average level of 444.35, 299.25, 238.31, 54.22, 52.78, 45.66, and 2.73 mg/kg, respectively, for fine particles (≤20 μm). Conversely, multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to assess pollution levels and sources. Anthropogenic activities like traffic emissions, construction, and industrial processing were the main pollution sources. A pollution load index revealed that industrial areas had significantly higher pollution (PLI of 2.45), while the capital city and peri-urban areas experienced moderate pollution (PLI of 1.54 and 1.59). Hazard index values were below the safety level of 1, but health risk evaluations revealed increased non-carcinogenic risks for children, especially from Cr, Ni, Cd, and Pb where Cr poses the highest cancer risk via inhalation, with values reaching 1.13 × 10⁻⁴–5.96 × 10⁻⁴ falling within the threshold level (10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁶). These results underline the need for continuous environmental monitoring and pollution control in order to lower health hazards.

This study explores the synthesis, characterization, and extraction efficiency of hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs), along with the allergen-modulating potential of extracted bioactive compounds. Six NADESs were synthesized using binary combinations of camphor, thymol, eugenol, and menthol (1:1 molar ratio) and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), density functional theory (DFT), and molecular dynamics simulations (MD simulations). Bioactive compounds were extracted from Thujopsis dolabrata wood biomass via ultrasonic-assisted extraction and analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The total essential oil yield, estimated semiquantitatively by summing the peak areas of key terpenoid compounds, ranged from 1.91% to 7.90% across different NADES systems, indicating their varied extraction capacities. Molecular docking was performed to assess their allergen-modulating interactions with Amb a 1 and Cry j 1. All NADESs exhibited single-stage decomposition (110–125 °C) except camphor–menthol, which recrystallized. FTIR and simulations confirmed strong hydrogen bonding in eugenol-based NADESs, particularly menthol–eugenol. Extraction identified 47 bioactive compounds, with 4,5α-Epoxy-3-methoxy-17-methyl-7α-(4-phenyl-1,3-butadienyl)-6β,7β-(oxymethylene) morphinan as the most abundant (9.31–11.16%). It exhibited the highest binding affinity (Cry j 1: −8.60 kcal/mol, Amb a 1: −7.40 kcal/mol) and lowest inhibition concentration (Cry j 1: 0.49 µM, Amb a 1: 3.74 µM), suggesting strong allergen-modulating potential. Hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding drove protein–ligand binding. These findings highlight NADESs as effective, sustainable solvents for extracting bioactive compounds with allergen-modulating potential.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a matter of deep concern as they pose significant environmental and health hazards due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxic effects. In soils, PAHs accumulate, contaminating ecosystems, entering food chains, and posing threats to plant and human health. This study conducted a comprehensive assessment of PAH contamination in agricultural soils (particle size < 20 µm) across various land-use categories and depths to determine contamination levels and associated health risks, as such comprehensive studies are very rare in Bangladesh. Soil samples were investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The findings revealed that the concentrations of ∑16PAH ranged from 299 to 1928 µg/kg, with the lowest levels observed in research areas and the highest in industrial soils. Concentration trends were as follows: industrial areas > coastal areas > local market areas > rural areas > research areas. Higher concentrations were noted for individual PAHs such as Nap, Phe, BbF, and BkF (313.14 µg/kg ± 62.01 to 546.97 µg/kg ± 146.76), while the lowest concentrations were recorded for BghiP, DBahA, and Ind (1.25 µg/kg ± 1.10 to 5.74 µg/kg ± 3.77). PAH levels were highest in surface soils, following a depth sequence of 0–5 cm > 5–10 cm > 10–15cm. The results also showed that low-, intermediate-, and high-molecular-weight PAHs comprised 46.06–83.18%, 16.47–48.68%, and 0.23–6.51% of total PAHs, respectively. The source of PAHs was identified as integration of pyrogenic petrogenic. Children were found to have higher exposure through ingestion compared to adults, with lower exposure through inhalation and dermal pathways. The total incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for children ranged from 2.03 × 10⁻⁸ to 9.07 × 10⁻⁷, and for adults from 1.96 × 10⁻⁸ to 8.04 × 10⁻⁷. Both groups exhibited no carcinogenic risk, as per the USEPA threshold. These findings underscore the need for ongoing monitoring and management strategies to mitigate PAH contamination in agricultural soils, thus protecting environmental and public health concerns.

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils poses serious threats to food safety, ecosystem integrity, and public health. This study investigates the concentrations, ecological risks, and human health impacts of nine heavy metals Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, As, and V in homestead agricultural soils collected from two depths, surface (0–20 cm) and subsurface (21–50 cm), across industrial and non-industrial regions of Bangladesh, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results revealed that surface soils from industrial areas exhibited the highest metal concentrations in order of Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > V > Ni > Cu > As > Co. However, maximum As levels were detected in non-industrial areas, suggesting combined influences of local geology, intensive pesticide application, and prolonged irrigation with As-contaminated groundwater. Elevated concentrations in surface soils indicate recent contamination with limited downward migration. Multivariate statistical analyses indicated that industrial and urban activities are the major sources of contamination, whereas Mn remains primarily geogenic, controlled by natural soil forming processes. Contamination factor (CF) and pollution load index (PLI) analyses identified Pb and As as the principal pollutants, with hotspots in Nairadi, Majhipara (Savar), Gazipur sadar, and Chorkhai (Mymensingh). Ecological risk (ER) assessment highlighted As and Pb as the dominant environmental stressors, though overall risk remained low. Human health risk analysis showed that ingestion is the primary exposure pathway, with children being more susceptible than adults. Although the hazard index (HI) values were within the acceptable safety limits, the estimated carcinogenic risks for As and Cr exceeded the USEPA thresholds, indicating potential long term health concerns. Therefore, the cumulative carcinogenic risk (CCR) results demonstrate that As is the primary driver of lifetime carcinogenic risk in homestead soils, followed by Cr, while contributions from other metals are minimal. These findings emphasize the urgent need for continuous monitoring, improved industrial waste management, and targeted mitigation strategies to ensure safe food production, a cleaner environment, and better public health.