Environmental Science & Technology Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

ES&T uses a concise, unstructured abstract format.

• Word limit: 150 words maximum for Research Articles
• Structure: Unstructured (single paragraph)
• Citations: Not allowed
• Abbreviations: Avoid unless universally understood
• TOC graphic: Must accompany the abstract (described separately below)

The abstract should state the environmental problem or question, briefly describe the experimental or analytical approach, and present the main findings with specific quantitative results. ES&T abstracts should explicitly connect the findings to environmental relevance. Don't leave the "so what" for the reader to figure out.

A formatting detail: ES&T doesn't require author-supplied keywords in the traditional sense. Instead, the TOC/Abstract graphic and the abstract text serve as the primary discovery mechanisms on the ACS Publications website. However, ACS adds subject classifications internally.

The 150-word limit is enforced by the submission system (ACS Paragon Plus). If your abstract exceeds 150 words, the system won't let you proceed. Count carefully.

The TOC (Table of Contents) graphic is one of ES&T's most distinctive requirements. Every submission must include one.

Specifications:

The TOC graphic appears at the top of the article page on the ACS website, in the journal's online table of contents, and in email alerts. It's the first thing a potential reader sees. A good TOC graphic should be self-explanatory and visually convey the key finding or concept of the paper.

What works: A schematic showing the environmental process studied, key data (like a bar chart or trend line), or a conceptual diagram linking the lab work to the environmental context.

What doesn't work: A photograph of your lab equipment, a cropped figure panel from the paper, or text-heavy diagrams that are unreadable at thumbnail size.

The TOC graphic is uploaded as a separate file during submission. It's also embedded in the manuscript after the abstract. Don't forget to include a brief one-sentence caption.

A common rejection reason: submitting a TOC graphic that doesn't meet the size specifications. The 3.25 x 1.75 inch ratio is unusual, and generic figure sizes won't fit. Create the graphic at exactly these dimensions.

ES&T follows ACS figure formatting standards with some environmental-science-specific conventions.

Figure specifications:

Table formatting: ACS standard. Tables have horizontal rules at the top, below the header, and at the bottom. No vertical rules. Table captions go above the table. Footnotes use superscript lowercase letters.

Color figures are free in the online version. Print color costs extra for subscription articles, but since most readers access ES&T online, many authors design figures for color viewing only. If print color matters, design dual-purpose figures that are interpretable in both color and grayscale.

Environmental data visualization conventions: ES&T papers frequently include maps, time-series data, and spatial distribution plots. For maps, include scale bars, north arrows, and clear boundary delineations. For concentration data, use consistent units throughout all figures. Reviewers will flag inconsistent unit usage across figures.

Error bars and uncertainty: Always include error bars or confidence intervals on quantitative plots. Describe in the caption what the error bars represent (standard deviation, standard error, 95% CI). ES&T reviewers are particularly attentive to statistical presentation.

ES&T uses the ACS reference style, which offers some flexibility in citation format.

In-text citations: ACS allows two citation formats, and ES&T accepts both:

1. Superscript numbers: Sequential numbering (1, 2, 3).
2. Author-date: (Author et al., Year).

Most ES&T authors use the superscript numbered format, but the author-date format is also common. Pick one and be consistent throughout the manuscript.

Reference list format (numbered style):

(1) Author, A. B.; Author, C. D.; Author, E. F. Title of Article. J. Abbrev. Year, Vol, Pages. DOI: 10.xxxx/xxxxx

Key formatting details:

• Author names: Last name, then initials (e.g., "Smith, J. K.").
• Semicolons between authors.
• Article title in plain text (not italicized, not in quotes for the numbered style).
• Journal names abbreviated and italicized.
• Year in bold.
• DOIs are required for all references that have them.
• For author-date style: reference list is alphabetical, not sequential.

ACS reference formatting is handled automatically if you use the achemso LaTeX package or the ACS EndNote/Zotero style files. Don't format references manually if you can avoid it; the ACS style has too many small details to get right by hand.

There's no formal reference cap. Research Articles typically cite 40 to 70 sources. Critical Reviews regularly exceed 100.

Supporting Information (SI) is a central part of ES&T publishing culture. Unlike journals where supplementary material is an afterthought, ES&T expects substantial SI for Research Articles.

What goes in the SI:

• Detailed experimental methods (sample collection, analytical procedures, QA/QC)
• Additional figures and tables that support but aren't essential to the main narrative
• Raw data or extended datasets
• Model descriptions and parameterizations
• Statistical analysis details
• Site descriptions and maps

SI formatting:

• Compiled as a single PDF document
• Pages numbered sequentially (S1, S2, S3...)
• Figures labeled "Figure S1, S2, S3..."
• Tables labeled "Table S1, S2, S3..."
• Must have its own reference list (can reference the main text's references by number)
• Include a table of contents at the beginning of the SI document

SI review: The SI goes through peer review along with the main manuscript. Reviewers evaluate it and can request changes. Don't treat SI as a dumping ground for poor-quality content.

A practical tip: most ES&T Research Articles have SI documents that are 10 to 30 pages long. Some have SI documents longer than the main paper. This is normal and expected. Moving appropriate content to the SI is how you stay within the 7,000-word main text limit while still providing the methodological detail that environmental science demands.

For large datasets (monitoring data, field measurements), consider depositing in a public repository (EPA Environmental Dataset Gateway, Zenodo, Figshare) and citing the DOI in the paper rather than including everything in the SI.

These are the details that experienced ES&T authors know:

Environmental significance statement. ES&T requires a brief (maximum 120 words) statement explaining the environmental significance of the work. This is separate from the abstract and appears after it. It should be written for a broad environmental science audience, not specialists in your subfield. This statement is displayed prominently on the article page and influences whether readers click through to the full paper.

Experimental Section heading. ES&T uses "Experimental Section" (not "Methods" or "Materials and Methods"). This is an ACS convention. Using the wrong heading will trigger a correction request.

Associated Content paragraph. At the end of the main text (before references), include an "Associated Content" section that describes the Supporting Information. For example: "The Supporting Information is available free of charge at [URL]. Detailed analytical methods, additional figures, and supplementary tables (PDF)."

Author Information section. ACS requires an Author Information section with corresponding author contact details, ORCID iDs (required for corresponding author), and author contribution statements.

Conflicts of interest. ES&T requires a declaration, labeled "Notes." State "The authors declare no competing financial interest" or disclose specific conflicts.

Acknowledgments. Place after the main text and before the Associated Content and References sections. Include funding sources with grant numbers.

Units and chemical nomenclature. Use SI units. Chemical compounds should be named following IUPAC nomenclature. Use standard chemical abbreviations (e.g., DOC for dissolved organic carbon, PM2.5 for particulate matter). Define all abbreviations at first use.

Environmental data reporting. When reporting concentrations, specify the matrix (water, soil, air), detection limits, and analytical method. ES&T reviewers are rigorous about environmental data quality and will push back on results reported without adequate QA/QC documentation.

1. TOC graphic dimensions. The 3.25 x 1.75 inch requirement is exact. Incorrectly sized graphics are the most common production delay at ES&T.

1. Environmental significance statement. Many first-time authors forget this entirely. It's separate from the abstract and mandatory.

1. SI table of contents. The Supporting Information document needs its own table of contents at the beginning. Reviewers use it to find specific supplementary items.

1. "Experimental Section" heading. Not "Methods," not "Materials and Methods." ACS journals use "Experimental Section."

1. DOIs in references. ACS requires DOIs for all references that have them. Missing DOIs will be flagged during production.

In our pre-submission review work with manuscripts targeting Environmental Science & Technology, four patterns generate the most consistent desk-rejection outcomes.

TOC/Abstract art wrong ACS dimensions or absent. ES&T requires a TOC graphic (3.25 inches wide by 1.75 inches tall, 300 dpi minimum, TIFF or JPEG) and a synopsis of 50-60 words accompanying it. The synopsis must be self-contained and communicate the environmental significance of the work. Missing TOC graphics, oversized synopses, or graphics using Elsevier portrait dimensions (531 x 1328 px) cause administrative return.

Environmental exposure or fate data incomplete. ES&T reviewers expect papers on contaminants, pollutants, or environmental processes to include data on environmental concentrations, fate and transport, or exposure pathways, not only laboratory toxicity or degradation measurements. Papers that measure an effect in a controlled laboratory system without placing it in an environmentally relevant concentration context are flagged as lacking ecological interpretability.

Analytical methods not validated or LOD/LOQ not reported. ES&T applies strict analytical chemistry standards. Papers reporting trace contaminant measurements without reporting limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), method validation (spike recovery, matrix effects), and quality control sample data are returned before peer review. The expectation applies to all studies measuring environmental concentrations.

Scope is material synthesis or device fabrication with no environmental application. ES&T is strictly an environmental science and engineering journal. Papers on photocatalyst synthesis, membrane fabrication, or adsorbent development that do not demonstrate performance in environmentally relevant matrices (natural water, soil, wastewater) and do not address environmental fate of the material itself are rejected for scope.

A Environmental Science & Technology submission readiness check evaluates manuscript scope, analytical reporting standards, and environmental relevance against these desk-rejection patterns.