Hongwen Sun

• PhD
• Dean at Nankai University

Embryonic and fetal development can be affected during gestation by exposure to xenobiotics that cross the placenta. Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are emerging contaminants commonly found in indoor environments; however, whether they can cross the placenta and affect placental development remains unexplored. Here, we develop an evaluation system t...

Ubiquitous environmental occurrence of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) underscores the critical need to broaden investigative efforts in effective screening, risk assessment, and remediation. Owing to the broad spectrum of PFAS, various analytical techniques have been extensively utilized to attain inclusivity, with notable attention give...

To predict the behavior of aromatic contaminants (ACs) in complex soil–plant systems, this study developed machine learning (ML) models to estimate the root concentration factor (RCF) of both traditional (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls) and emerging ACs (e.g., phthalate acid esters, aryl organophosphate esters). F...

With long-term production and widespread application, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in various media worldwide, including the atmosphere. Since the gradual restriction and phase-out of C8 perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), environmental contamination by emerging PFAS substitutes such as short-chain PFAA homologues, perflu...

Phthalates (PAEs) are synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial and personal consumer products as adhesives or plasticizers. PAEs have been demonstrated to have toxic effects on the human body. However, biological monitoring data for the internal PAE exposure levels of Chinese rural residents are still limited. The present study investigated th...

Herein, novel catalysts of Fe-containing zeolite-A (Fe/zeolite-A) were synthesized by exchanging iron ions into zeolite-A framework, and short-chain organic acids (SCOAs) were employed as chelating agents. Reactive Brilliant Blue KN-R (KN-R) was used as a model pollutant to evaluate the performance of these catalysts based on the heterogeneous Fent...

The thyroid is an essential endocrine organ in human body, and thyroid hormones (THs) are pivotal signaling molecules and mediators in various physiological processes. THs, particularly in their free form, play a critical role in regulating body temperature and in the metabolism of lipid and glucose, making the maintenance of TH levels crucial for...

Aromatic amine antioxidants (AAs), extensively used in rubber products, and their ozone-photolyzed product p-phenylenediamine quinones (PPD-Qs) were found to be pervasive in various environments and with potential ecological and health risks. The relationship between external and internal exposure to these contaminants and their exposure risks to t...

The extensive use of neonicotinoids on food crops for pest management has resulted in substantial environmental contamination. It is imperative to develop an effective remediation material and technique as well as to determine the evolution pathways of products. Here, novel ball-milled nitrogen-doped biochar (NBC)-modified zero-valent iron (ZVI) co...

There is currently a dearth of evidence regarding the impact of the manipulation mode on human occupational exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) originating from e-waste dismantling. Therefore, 11 VOC metabolites (mVOCs) and four oxidative stress biomarkers (OSBs; i.e., 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-guanosine, 8-ox...

A total of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in 28 soil column samples from two contaminated industrial sites in Eastern China. The total concentration of 16 PAHs (∑PAHs) in the surface soil (0–20 cm) was measured up to 52,600 ng/g (dry weight basis) with a remarkable spatial difference in the studied contaminated sites. The...

Straw incorporation into the soil is a common agricultural practice, but its effect on soil cadmium (Cd) mobility is not well understood. We added 0–20 g kg ⁻¹ organic matters (OMs) with different C/N ratios to three spiked alkaline paddy soils that contained a realistically low concentration of total Cd (0.94 mg kg ⁻¹ ), and then investigated soil...

Although nanoplastics (NPs) can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain, the neurotoxicity of these particles and the mechanisms associated with their unique physio-chemical properties have yet to be sufficiently ascertained. In this study, we assessed the neuroexcitatory symptoms of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae treated with...

In recent years, the diffusive gradients in the thin films (DGT) technique has also been increasingly applied to assess the bioavailability of heavy metals and organic pollutants in the soil. The combination of binding and diffusion phases made from different materials allows for the targeted determination of different target substances. This revie...

This study was designed to assess the distribution of organochlorines (OCs) in fish species, their spatio-temporal variations, bioaccumulation potential, and associated human health risks via dietary intake. The levels of twenty-three organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and thirty-five polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in six fish species...

Plastic recycling and reprocessing activities may release organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants and plasticizers into the surrounding environment. However, the relevant contamination profiles and impacts remain not well studied. This study investigated the occurrence of 28 OPEs and their metabolites (mOPEs) in rainfall runoffs and agricultur...

Efficient removal of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), especially short-chain ones, from contaminated water is of great challenge and is urgently called for so as to safeguard the ecosystem and human health. Herein, polypyrrole (PPy) functionalized biochar (BC) composites were innovatively synthesized by an in situ self-sacrificial approach to allow ef...

E-waste dismantlers' occupational exposure to plasticizers, particularly non-phthalate (NPAE) plasticizers, is poorly understood. This study monitored 11 phthalates (PAEs) and 16 NPAEs in dust and hand wipe samples from Central China e-waste workplace and ordinary homes. Concentrations of plasticizers in dust from e-waste dismantling workshops (med...

The objectives of this study were to identify both legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from three typical fluoridated industrial parks (FIPs) in China, and to assess their environmental occurrence and fate. Complementary suspect target and nontarget screening were implemented, and a total of 111 emerging PFAS were identif...

Although the combined effect of organic ligands and heavy metals in the environment on plants have been frequently reported, their complexed interaction in plants and the physiological effects remain to be revealed. Metal complexing agent benzotriazole (BTR) has extensive environmental pollution. In this study, root-splitting experiments were desig...

In the study, we investigated the different compositions of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (BDOM) that play a key role in the biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and chloramphenicol (CAP) by P. stutzeri and S. putrefaciens, and found that aliphatic compounds in Group 4, fulvic acid like in Region III, and solid microbial byproduct li...

Cadmium (Cd) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are prominent soil contaminants found in industrial sites, and their combined effects on plants are not yet fully understood. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the co-exposure of Cd and PAHs and identify key biomarkers for their co-effects, an integrated analysis of metabolomics, trans...

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) as well as their metabolites are highly mobile on the subsurface and can potentially contaminate drinking water sources; however, their pollution status and fate in the drinking water system remains ambiguous. In this study, six parent NEOs and two characteristic metabolites were measured in drinking water source p...

Sulfate radical (SO 4 −• ), formed by persulfate (PS) activation during advanced oxidation process, can be used for the remediation of organic contaminated soil. However, the role of biochar and microwave (MW) in the activation of PS are not fully understood, especially the corresponding mechanism. Herein, biochar combined with MW were used to acti...

Electrochemical oxidation (EO) has been shown to have the unique ability to degrade perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), although the radical chemistry involved in this degradation is unclear, particularly in the presence of chloride ions (Cl-). In this study, reaction kinetics, free radical quenching, electron spin resonance, and radical probes were use...

The uptake and translocation of β-blockers in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum M.) were investigated by carrying out a 70-day soil-pot cultivation. The root uptake parameters of β-blockers in lettuce decreased in the order of atenolol (ATE) > sotalol (SOT) > propranolol (PRO) with root bioconcentration factors (BCFsro...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have received increasing scientific and regulatory attention due to their global distribution and health hazards. However, little is known about the PFAS composition of fluorinated products commercially available in China. In this study, a sensitive and robust analytical method was proposed for the compreh...

Following exposure, neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) can be metabolized by both Phase I and Phase II reactions catalyzed by human cytochrome P450 enzymes. However, toxicities of parent NEOs and their metabolites are still unclear, and little is known about biotransformation rates and pathways of NEOs in humans. In this study, 98 serum samples coll...

Metal pollution may lead to a variety of diseases; for this reason, it has become a matter of public concern worldwide. However, it is necessary to use biomonitoring approaches to assess the risks posed to human health by metals. In this study, the concentrations of 14 metal elements in 181 urine samples obtained from the general population of Gans...

Straw incorporation into the soil is a common agricultural practice, but its effect on soil cadmium (Cd) mobility is not well understood. We added 0–20 g kg − 1 organic matters (OMs) with different C/N ratios to three spiked alkaline paddy soils that contained a realistically low concentration of total Cd (0.94 mg kg − 1 ), and then investigated so...