Development of molecularly imprinted polymer-based electrochemical sensors for the detection of UV filters in aquatic ecosystems.

The presence of organic UV filters (OUVAs) has been detected worldwide in aquatic ecosystems. These pollutants, originating from various anthropogenic sources, can persist and transform within wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), posing a potential environmental hazard. In this framework, this research presents electrochemical sensors based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the selective detection of Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) and Octocrylene (OC), two of the OUVA most spread in the aquatic environment, to overcome the analytical challenges related to the quantification of this class of contaminants in wastewater samples.

Microplastics and microfibers contamination in the Arno River (Central Italy): Impact from urban areas and contribution to the Mediterranean Sea.

Fluvial ecosystems are among the main drivers of microparticles (MPC) in the form of both synthetic polymers (i.e. microplastics; MPs) and natural-based textile fibers (MF) to the seas.

Microplastic removal and risk assessment framework in a constructed wetland for the treatment of combined sewer overflows.

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) release a significant amount of pollutants, including microplastics (MPs), due to the discharge of untreated water into receiving water bodies. Constructed Wetlands (CWs) offer a promising strategy for CSO treatment and have recently attracted attention as a potential solution for MP mitigation. Nevertheless, limited research on MP dynamics within CSO events and MP removal performance in full-scale CW systems poses a barrier to this frontier of application.

Network analysis to reveal the most commonly detected compounds in predator-prey pairs in freshwater and marine mammals and fish in Europe.

Marine and freshwater mammalian predators and fish samples, retrieved from environmental specimen banks (ESBs), natural history museum (NHMs) and other scientific collections, were analysed by LIFE APEX partners for a wide range of legacy and emerging contaminants (2545 in total). Network analysis was used to visualize the chemical occurrence data and reveal the predominant chemical mixtures for the freshwater and marine environments. For this purpose, a web tool was created to explore these chemical mixtures in predator-prey pairs.

Ingestion of chitosan-starch blends: Effect on the survival of supralittoral amphipods.

Sandy beach ecosystems are particularly affected by plastic pollution. Supralittoral amphipods are important components of the food web in sandy beaches and their ability to ingest microplastics and bioplastics has been assessed. Chitosan, a polysaccharide obtained by deacetylation of chitin, the second most abundant polymer in the world, represents an interesting component to produce novel bioplastics in combination with other biopolymers like starch.