Microplastic-sorbed persistent organic pollutants in coastal Mediterranean Sea areas of Tunisia.

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants of global concern due to their pervasiveness, high sorption ability for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and direct and indirect toxicity to marine organisms, ecosystems, as well as humans. As one of the major coastal interfaces, beaches are considered among the most affected ecosystems by MPs pollution. The morphological characteristics of MPs (pellets and fragments) collected from four beaches along the Tunisian coast and sorbed POPs, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), were investigated in this study.

Occurrence, distribution and ecological risk of trace metals and organic pollutants in surface sediments from a Southeastern European river (Someşu Mic River, Romania).

The increasing contamination of fresh water resources by trace metals and persistent organic pollutants is a major environmental concern. In the present study, we investigated, for the first time, the distribution, sources and ecological risk of trace metals and organic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), in surface sediments from a Southeastern European river (Someşu Mic River, Romania). Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn ranged from 0.

Using an Integrated Approach to Assess the Sediment Quality of an Mediterranean Lagoon, the Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia).

The present study investigates the quality of surface sediments from the Bizerte lagoon (North Tunisia) using an integrated approach including chemical contaminant analysis, bioassays and sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). Sediment samples were collected at 9 sites and analyzed for eight heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Fe and Mn). PAHs, PCBs, OCPs were measured previously in the same sediment samples.

Spatial distribution and pollution assessment of trace metals in surface sediments of Ziqlab Reservoir, Jordan.

Surface sediment samples were collected from Ziqlab dam in northwestern Jordan to investigate the spatial distribution of selected trace metals and assess their pollution levels. The results showed that the concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Zn exceeded the environmental background values. Cd, Ni, and Cr contents were higher than the threshold effect level (TEL) in 63, 83, and 60 % of the reservoir sediments, respectively; whereas Pb, Zn, and Cu were less than the TEL limit.

Assessment of metal pollution in urban road dusts from selected highways of the Greater Toronto Area in Canada.

Over the last several decades, there has been increased attention on the heavy metal contamination associated with highways because of the associated health hazards and risks. Here, the results are reported of an analysis of the content of metals in roadside dust samples of selected major highways in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. The metals analysed are lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe).