Environmental Evidence

Hodgson, Ryan Y.; Robinson, Steven A.; Boutin, Amélie C.; Chan, Felix K.; Bennett, Joseph R.; Buxton, Rachel T.; Caufield, J. Harry; Hanna, Dalal E. L.; Alamenciak, Tim

doi: 10.1186/s13750-026-00381-0pmid: 41656307

Evidence syntheses are valuable sources of robust and transparent knowledge that can identify gaps in research and inform evidence-based decision making. However, the process of synthesis is time consuming and costly. We investigate a new AI-based method that uses a large-language model (LLM) grounded in ontologies (i.e. structured machine-interpretable glossaries of domain terminology) to extract information from a set of 80 articles on coastal wetland restoration outcomes. We evaluated this method by comparing human-extracted data with data extracted by OntoGPT — a Python package that combines an LLM with ontologies to extract structured information. We found that OntoGPT achieved 65% average agreement with human reviewers but varied based on information type requested for extraction. The highest agreement scores were found when extracting standardized information, and lower agreement scores were found for study-specific and interpretation-heavy information. Precision and recall — two common measurements of artificial intelligence performance — were 58% and 57%. Our results highlight the potential for LLMs to save some labour in the evidence synthesis process but highlight core challenges (e.g., complex information; subjective judgments) where further development is needed. While LLMs cannot replace human reviewers, they have the potential to assist in data extraction.

Aljohani, Sultan; Engels, Mary; Wallen, Kenneth E.

doi: 10.1186/s13750-026-00380-1pmid: 41639913

BackgroundAutomobiles are ubiquitous in the modern world, and chemicals leaching from car tires and from the tire wear particles produced during driving can be toxic to the environment, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. 6PPD-Quinone (6PPD-Q), a recently identified tire and tire wear particle leachate, has been identified as highly toxic to coho salmon and other aquatic species. Research on the distribution and impacts of 6PPD-Q in aquatic ecosystems is rapidly developing, while research on 6PPD-Q in other environmental media is just beginning. With research efforts developing on many fronts, there is a need to better map emerging knowledge about this toxin. To do that, we ask the question: “What research exists on the presence of the 6PPD-Q in different environmental media (water (freshwater), soil, sediment, and air, including dust)?” The ultimate purpose of this systematic map is to generate a literature catalog that serves as a searchable database about 6PPD-Q in different environmental media.MethodsThe systematic map will follow the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence guidelines and conform to the Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES). Relevant English language only literature searches will use a search string using the specified Boolean description of our PECO elements (Population: Environmental media water, soil, sediment, air: including dust; Exposure: N/A; Comparator: N/A; Outcome: The presence of 6PPD-Q/ The concentration of 6PPD-Q). Two bibliographic databases, Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection and ScienceDirect, will be searched. Additional literature will be located through searches of targeted search engines and specialist websites. Screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts will be completed in series using established eligibility criteria. The results of the systematic map will contain a searchable open-access database formatted in Microsoft Excel. Furthermore, the outcome will be presented in a global map of the geographical distribution of included studies and their PICO/PECO elements, including a narrative synthesis, descriptive statistics, tables, and figures.

Mokoena, Lesia Sydney; Mokolokolo, Pennie Petrus; Mofokeng, Julia Puseletso

doi: 10.1186/s13750-026-00384-xpmid: 41906168

BackgroundWater contamination by heavy metals poses serious risks to human health, ecosystems, and food security. Established and commonly used remediation methods have limitations in terms of cost, sustainability, and environmental impact, especially in under-resourced, developing, and underdeveloped countries. Recently, the emergence of biodegradable polymer blend foams filled with carbonaceous materials, such as graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes, offers environmentally friendly adsorbents for heavy metals in water. However, a consolidated, synthetic overview of the evidence on material design, properties, adsorption capacities, and efficiencies remains lacking for these foams. The current systematic review aims to synthesise and critically evaluate the existing evidence on the fabrication, properties, adsorption mechanisms, and applicability of biodegradable polymer blend foams filled with carbonaceous materials for adsorbing heavy metals in water. The review also seeks to develop a consolidated evidence document that will inform policy, guide future research, and assist the development and implementation of sustainable treatment technologies for the removal of heavy metals in water in resource-limited areas.MethodsThis systematic review protocol is based on the question, “What is the adsorption efficiency and capacity of biodegradable polymer blend foams filled with carbonaceous materials in the removal of heavy metals from water?” A comprehensive search will be conducted using electronic bibliographic sources like Web of Science (core collections), Scopus, ScienceDirect, and search engines like PubMed, together with grey literature like Google Scholar, targeting peer-reviewed studies on laboratory and pilot-scale investigations of biodegradable polymer blend foams filled with carbonaceous materials for the removal of heavy metals from water. Eligibility criteria include studies on any type of water contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, copper, chromium, and cadmium. The extraction of data will be focused on material composition, processing techniques, characterisation, and adsorption performance. Quantitative data will be tabulated and, where applicable, subjected to meta-analysis. Researchers, consultants, and municipalities - especially in South Africa- will be consulted to contextualise findings and assist in translating evidence into practical water treatment solutions.

Allen, Jessica R.; Firth, Louise B.; Bishop, Melanie J.; Dafforn, Katherine A.; Grasselli, Ferrante; Hanley, Mick E.; Knights, Antony M.; Mayer-Pinto, Mariana; McQuatters-Gollop, Abigail; O’Shaughnessy, Kathryn A.; Porri, Francesca; Smith, Rebecca K.; Strain, Elisabeth M.A.; Lemasson, Anaëlle J.

doi: 10.1186/s13750-026-00382-z

Hall, Benjamin; Eskuche-Keith, Patrick; Ren, Yaofa; Moore, Pippa Jane; Fitzsimmons, Clare; Stephenson, Fabrice

doi: 10.1186/s13750-026-00385-wpmid: 42015315

BackgroundImportant ecosystem services (ES), defined by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment as benefits people obtain from ecosystems, are provided by kelp forests (e.g. nutrient cycling, nursery sites for fisheries and habitat provision). However, kelp forest degradation is extensive and ongoing with 40–60% of kelp forests degraded over the past 50 years threatening ES provision. Management efforts often overlook species-specific biophysical drivers of service provision and the role of morphological diversity (e.g. stipitate or prostrate growth forms) in mediating ES. Effective marine spatial planning that incorporates ES provision requires understanding of these drivers, but current efforts are limited by poor spatial data on kelp distributions and ES provision. This systematic map aims (i) to catalogue and classify the ecosystem services that have been reported for Laminaria hyperborea and Saccharina latissima (two kelp species with contrasting growth forms), and (ii) to map what evidence exists on biophysical drivers associated with variation in these services.MethodsFollowing Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) guidelines, this systematic map will conduct a search of peer-reviewed literature from Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar using terms for kelp species and ES, refined via the PO framework (Population, Outcome). Search string replicability will be validated using 10 benchmark articles. The screening process will utilize a three-stage process (remove duplicates, title and abstract screening and full text screening) which will prioritise studies quantifying ES provision (e.g. wave attenuation, biodiversity metrics, kelp farming) and/or biophysical drivers of ES provision for Laminaria hyperborea and Saccharina latissima. Data will be synthesized narratively and, where feasible, presented through tables, figures and geographic mapping that compares ES across growth form and biophysical drivers (e.g., light availability for primary productivity, turbidity for carbon sequestration). This systematic map aims to identify gaps in knowledge of kelp service provision, with the results highlighting kelp ES knowledge to guide future and current marine spatial planning.

Seabrook, Katryna J.; Adams, Julie E.; Robinson, Stacey A.; Brinkmann, Markus; Brown, Tanya M.; Challis, Jonathan K.; Chibwe, Leah; Marteinson, Sarah; Philibert, Danielle; Prosser, Ryan S.; Orihel, Diane M.

doi: 10.1186/s13750-026-00383-ypmid: 41918048

BackgroundThe tire additive N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-Nʹ-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) is widely produced in large volumes as a rubber antidegradant. This chemical can be released into the environment throughout the lifecycle of rubber products. Recently, 6PPD has become the subject of regulatory interest in some jurisdictions due to its widespread environmental occurrence and the acute toxicity of its transformation product N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-Nʹ-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPDQ) to some salmonids. As research advances for these emerging contaminants, it is critical to understand whether 6PPD and 6PPDQ concentrations in the environment are high enough to pose a risk to living organisms. Here, we present a protocol to conduct two linked systematic evidence maps related to (1) the occurrence of 6PPD and 6PPDQ in the environment and (2) the effects of 6PPD and 6PPDQ on living organisms. Our objective is to collate information on quantification methods, occurrence data, studied species, and toxicity endpoints. This work will contribute to synthesizing a rapidly expanding body of literature and providing insight into knowledge gaps to direct future work.MethodsThe systematic maps will be developed in accordance with the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Guidelines and Standards for Evidence Synthesis in Environmental Management. A unified search strategy using chemical names, acronyms, identifiers, and trade names for 6PPD and 6PPDQ will be used for both maps. Searches will be conducted in seven databases, and grey literature will be sourced from key websites and Advisory Board input. Search results will be managed in a reference management software and screened at the title/abstract and full-text levels against predefined eligibility criteria based on the Population-Outcome and Population-Exposure-Comparison-Outcome framework for Map 1 and Map 2, respectively. A decision tree designed a priori will guide concurrent screening to determine article eligibility for either or both maps. For all eligible articles, bibliographic and study-specific data will be coded and entered into a searchable database. Both article screening and data coding will be completed by two independent reviewers. Two systematic evidence maps will summarize the evidence base using narrative synthesis, figures, and tables.