Four Decades of Environmental Analysis, Health and Toxicology

Jung-Hwan Kwon

doi:10.5620/eaht.2025s01

Since the first issue of the Korean Journal of Environmental Toxicology was published in 1986, we are now celebrating our 40th volume. Our journal has experienced a notable evolution, transitioning to a fully open-access format with a new journal title, Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), in 2011, which was subsequently indexed in Scopus [1]. This scope was broadened further when it became Environmental Analysis, Health and Toxicology (EAHT) [2]. Over the last decade, EAHT has grown into a representative international journal, publishing papers from authors in more than 20 countries. This growth would not have been possible without the dedication of the many authors, reviewers, and editors who have accompanied us on this journey. Throughout its history, EAHT has been a platform for important research. Several key articles reviewing and providing perspectives on topics such as microplastics [3,4], cadmium toxicity [5], and the bioaccumulation of pesticides [6], have attracted many citations, making a significant impact on the field.

In this special 40th-anniversary issue, we proudly present seven articles – one perspective, four original articles, and two reviews [7–13] – that set a milestone for future research. These papers cover critical areas such as exposure and toxicity of emerging contaminants [7,10], a deeper mechanistic understanding of toxicity [10,13], new testing strategies [8,9], the roles of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) in environmental health [12], and the impact of climate change [11]. They not only reflect the evolution of our discipline, but also provide critical insights into its future. These papers collectively underscore a fundamental truth: environmental analysis, health, and toxicology are no longer isolated disciplines. Our path forward lies in integrating new technologies like AI to predict toxicity, tackling complex, real-world problems like mixture toxicity and emerging contaminants, and recognizing the global scale of our work by linking planetary health to human well-being. We are confident that with the continued support of our community, EAHT will remain at the forefront of this interdisciplinary journey for decades to come.

References

1. Kwon JH. One more leap. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2019;34(1):e2019001. https://doi.org/10.5620/eht.e2019001.

2. Kwon JH. First issue of EAHT. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2019;34(1):e2019007. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.e2019007.

3. Kang H-J, Park H-J, Kwon O-K, Lee W-S, Jeong D-H, Ju B-K, et al. Occurrence of microplastics in municipal sewage treatment plants: a review. Environ Health Toxicol 2018;33(3):e2018013. https://doi.org/10.5620/eht.e2018013.

4. Enyoh CE, Shafea L, Verla AW, Veria EN, Oingyue W, Chowdhury T, et al. Microplastics exposure routes and toxicity studies to ecosystems: An overview. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2020;35(1):e2020004. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.e2020004.

5. Chandravanshi L, Shiv K, Kumar S. Developmental toxicity of cadmium in infants and children: a review. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2021;36(1):e2021003. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2021003.

6. Ray S, Shaju ST. Bioaccumulation of pesticides in fish resulting toxicities in humans through food chain and forensic aspects. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2023;38(3):e2023017. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2023017.

7. Choi Y, Choi IW, Kwon J-H. Assessing inhalation intake of microplastics using MPPD model. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2025;40(Special issue):e2025s02. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2025s02.

8. Kim D, Ji S, Park K. Systemic review and integrated approaches to testing and assessment (IATA) of PFOA and PFOS for endocrine disrupting effects based on the AOP framework. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2025;40(Special issue):e2025s03. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2025s03.

9. Cho M-J, Park CH, Oh SM. Development of an integrated testing strategy using in vitro models to predict lung carcinogenesis. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2025;40(Special issue):e2025s04. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2025s04.

10. Lee E-J, Lee H, Kang J, Kim K-T, Yang Y-J. Bisphenol A diclycidyl ether-induced DNA methylation abnormalities may disrupt testis development in adult male zebrafish. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2025;40(Special issue):e2025s05. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2025s05.

11. Ha M. Climate change and health in planetary perspectives: Challenges for the health sector. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2025;40(Special issue):e2025s06. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2025s06.

12. Kim D, Choi J. Big data and AI: Potential and challenges for digital transformation in toxicology. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2025;40(Special issue):e2025s07. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2025s07.

13. Jamsranjav A, Gil J, Kim D, Choi S, Park H, Shin Y, et al. Quantitative neurotoxic effects of heavy metals and glutamate in mouse hippocampal neuronal cells. Environ Anal Health Toxicol 2025;40(Special issue):e2025s08. https://doi.org/10.5620/eaht.2025s08.