Can biodegradable plastics mitigate plastamination? Feedbacks from marine organisms.

The EU plastic strategy aims to reduce the environmental impact of the increasing plastic production, by replacing petrochemical-based polymers with biodegradable ones. But this mitigation measure for the plastamination might, in turn, generate bio-based microplastics in environments that are not necessarily safe. Biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics, polylactic acid (PLA) and polypropylene (PP) respectively, and their leachates were used for testing microplastic (MP) effects on seven marine species from different trophic levels, including bacteria, algae, rotifers, copepods, amphipods and branchiopods.

Species sensitivity distribution of rare earth elements: A full overview.

Rare earth elements (REEs) encompass 15 lanthanides and play a crucial role in modern technology. Despite their essential uses, REEs are emerging environmental contaminants due to their growing presence in industrial, agricultural, and medical applications. For the first time, the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach was applied to REEs considering 58 papers including toxicity about Ce, Dy, Er, Gd, La, Lu, Nd, Pr, Sm, and Y.

Assessment of ecological risks posed by veterinary antibiotics in European aquatic environments: A comprehensive review and analysis.

The extensive use of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine has led to the emergence of antibiotic contaminants in the environment, posing significant risks to ecosystems and public health. This contamination arises from the persistence of antibiotics in aquatic environments, particularly in aquifer systems, where they contribute to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Despite increasing research, the understanding of the ecological and human health implications of these contaminants remains incomplete.

Risk assessment of natural and synthetic fibers in aquatic environment: A critical review.

Marine microplastics, categorized as primary and secondary, including synthetic microfibers like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) and acrylic (PC), represent a potential environmental concern. The complex classification of these fibers, originating from diverse sources such as textiles and many others commercial goods, prompts a need for understanding their impact on aquatic organisms. This study assesses the ecological risks associated with both natural and synthetic fibers in aquatic ecosystems, focusing on toxicity data and their effects on taxonomic groups like Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Cnidaria, and Chordata.

UV light assisted degradation of acid orange azo dye by ZVI-ZnS and effluent toxicity effects.

Azo dyes, the most common synthetic dyes used in the textile industry, are known xenobiotic compounds and recalcitrant to conventional degradation treatments. As consequence, such contaminants are often discharged into the effluents, treating aquatic ecosystems. Among several processes, the use of zero valent iron (ZVI) represents a suitable alternative to degrade organic molecules containing azo bonds.

Individual and combined effects of amoxicillin and carbamazepine to the marine copepod Tigriopus fulvus.

Pharmaceuticals can be considered a global threat to aquatic ecosystems due to their pseudo-persistence and their potential toxicity towards non-target species. Amoxicillin (AMX) and carbamazepine (CBZ) and their mixture (1:1) were investigated on the marine copepod Tigriopus fulvus (Fischer, 1860) considering both acute and chronic endpoints. While acute and chronic exposure did not directly affect survival, reproductive endpoints were affected like the mean egg hatching time that was significantly longer than the negative control for treatments with AMX (0.

Genotoxicity in Artemia spp.: An old model with new sensitive endpoints.

Artemia spp. represent models species widely used in ecotoxicological studies due to its simple and fast manipulation in laboratory conditions that makes this crustacean well adaptable to several methodological approaches. Although cysts hatching, swimming behavior, reproductive success and mortality are the main endpoints used for the determination of toxicity, the detection of slight alterations induced by certain substances found at low concentrations in the environment may require more sensitive biomarkers.

Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Innovative Photocatalysts: A Review.

Waterborne pathogens represent one of the most widespread environmental concerns. Conventional disinfection methods, including chlorination and UV, pose several operational and environmental problems; namely, formation of potentially hazardous disinfection by-products (DBPs) and high energy consumption. Therefore, there is high demand for effective, low-cost disinfection treatments.

In situ microcosm remediation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons: influence and effectiveness of Nano-Zero Valent Iron and activated carbon.

Nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) and activated carbon (AC) addition are ongoing techniques for the remediation of hydrophobic organic compound-contaminated sediment and water, but with still unexplored eco(toxico)logical implications, especially when applied in situ. In this study, we investigated AC and nZVI as remediation methods for marine contaminated sediment and water, including chemical and toxicity (Artemia franciscana survival and genotoxicity) surveys. The removal efficiency of AC and nZVI (about 99%) was similar in both sediment and seawater, while the survival of nauplii and adults was mainly impacted by nZVI than AC.

Multi-endpoint effects of derelict tubular mussel plastic nets on Tigriopus fulvus.

Microplastic debris from direct and indirect human activities is considered a major threat to the marine biodiversity mainly due to its abundance, durability, persistence, and ability to accumulate contaminants from the environment. Derelict tubular plastic nets of various colours (blue (BN), yellow (YN), green (GN), pink (PN), and white (WN) net), used to distinguish mussel farming owners, were collected by scuba-dive from the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea). All nets were made of polypropylene.

A review of plant-based coagulants for turbidity and cyanobacteria blooms removal.

In recent years, the proliferation of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (CyanoHABs) has increased with water eutrophication and climate change, impairing human health and the environment in relation to water supply. In drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), the bio-coagulation based on natural coagulants has been studied as an eco-friendly alternative technology to conventional coagulants for both turbidity and CyanoHABs removal. Plant-based coagulants have demonstrated their coagulation efficiency in turbidity removal, as reported in several papers but its ability in cyanobacterial removal is still limited.

Evaluation of the Pathogenic-Mixed Biofilm Formation of / and Treatment with Limonene on Three Different Materials by a Dynamic Model.

Background: Biofilms have been found growing on implantable medical devices. This can lead to persistent clinical infections. The highly antibiotic-resistant property of biofilms necessitates the search for both potent antimicrobial agents and novel antibiofilm strategies.

WMR Peptide as Antifungal and Antibiofilm against Albicans and Non-Albicans Candida Species: Shreds of Evidence on the Mechanism of Action.

species are the most common fungal pathogens infecting humans and can cause severe illnesses in immunocompromised individuals. The increased resistance of to traditional antifungal drugs represents a great challenge in clinical settings. Therefore, novel approaches to overcome antifungal resistance are desired.

Activity of Free and Liposome-Encapsulated Essential Oil from against Persister-Derived Biofilm of .

The high virulence of , a pathogen fungus considered as a global threat for public health, is due to its peculiar traits such as its intrinsic resistance to conventional antifungals. Its biofilm lifestyle certainly promotes the prolonged survival of after disinfection or antifungal treatments. In this work, for the first time, we detected persister cells in a biofilm of in a microwell plate model, following caspofungin treatment.

PAHs and PCBs Affect Functionally Intercorrelated Genes in the Sea Urchin Embryos.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) represent the most common pollutants in the marine sediments. Previous investigations demonstrated short-term sublethal effects of sediments polluted with both contaminants on the sea urchin after 2 months of exposure in mesocosms. In particular, morphological malformations observed in embryos deriving from adults exposed to PAHs and PCBs were explained at molecular levels by transcriptome assembly and real-time qPCR, leading to the identification of several differentially expressed genes involved in key physiological processes.

Pentadecanoic acid against Candida albicans-Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm: towards the development of an anti-biofilm coating to prevent polymicrobial infections.

The ability to form biofilms is a common feature of microorganisms, which can colonize a variety of surfaces, such as host tissues and medical devices, resulting in infections highly resistant to conventional drugs. This aspect is particularly critical in polymicrobial biofilms involving both fungi and bacteria, therefore, to eradicate such severe infections, new and effective anti-biofilm strategies are needed. The efficacy of pentadecanal and pentadecanoic acid as anti-biofilm agents has been recently reported against different bacterial strains.

An Integrated Analysis of Intracellular Metabolites and Virulence Gene Expression during Biofilm Development of a Clinical Isolate of on Distinct Surfaces.

Emergence of , which causes potential life-threatening invasive candidiasis, is often associated with colonization of medical devices as biofilm. Biofilm plays an important role in the virulence of the pathogen because of its complex structure, which provides resistance to conventional antimicrobials. In this study, the metabolic response of a clinical strain of colonizing three distinct surfaces (polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polystyrene, and polycarbonate) as well as the expression of virulence and stress related genes (, , , , and ), were explored.

Sub-Chronic Effects of Slight PAH- and PCB-Contaminated Mesocosms in Lmk: A Multi-Endpoint Approach and De Novo Transcriptomic.

Sediment pollution is a major issue in coastal areas, potentially endangering human health and the marine environments. We investigated the short-term sublethal effects of sediments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the sea urchin for two months. Spiking occurred at concentrations below threshold limit values permitted by the law (TLVPAHs = 900 µg/L, TLVPCBs = 8 µg/L, Legislative Italian Decree 173/2016).

Comparison of in situ sediment remediation amendments: Risk perspectives from species sensitivity distribution.

Contaminated sediment is a major issue for aquatic environments, but attention must be kept even during remediation activities that can negatively affect resident biota especially when applied in situ. For the first time, the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach was applied to amendments used for in situ sediment remediation considering 39 papers including both freshwater (F) and saltwater (S) effect data (i.e.

Multiple Roles of Diatom-Derived Oxylipins within Marine Environments and Their Potential Biotechnological Applications.

The chemical ecology of marine diatoms has been the subject of several studies in the last decades, due to the discovery of oxylipins with multiple simultaneous functions including roles in chemical defence (antipredator, allelopathic and antibacterial compounds) and/or cell-to-cell signalling. Diatoms represent a fundamental compartment of marine ecosystems because they contribute to about 45% of global primary production even if they represent only 1% of the Earth's photosynthetic biomass. The discovery that they produce several toxic metabolites deriving from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as oxylipins, has changed our perspectives about secondary metabolites shaping plant-plant and plant-animal interactions in the oceans.

Genome Mining as New Challenge in Natural Products Discovery.

Drug discovery is based on bioactivity screening of natural sources, traditionally represented by bacteria fungi and plants. Bioactive natural products and their secondary metabolites have represented the main source for new therapeutic agents, used as drug leads for new antibiotics and anticancer agents. After the discovery of the first biosynthetic genes in the last decades, the researchers had in their hands the tool to understand the biosynthetic logic and genetic basis leading to the production of these compounds.

Combined Effects of Diatom-Derived Oxylipins on the Sea Urchin .

Oxylipins are diatom-derived secondary metabolites, deriving from the oxidation of polyunsatured fatty acids that are released from cell membranes after cell damage or senescence of these single-celled algae. Previous results revealed harmful toxic effects of polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) and hydroxyacids (HEPEs) on sea urchin embryonic development by testing individual compounds and mixtures of the same chemical group. Here, we investigated the combined effects of these compounds on sea urchin development at the morphological and molecular level for the first time.

Marine sediment toxicity: A focus on micro- and mesocosms towards remediation.

Micro- and/or mesocosms are experimental tools bringing ecologically relevant components of the natural environment under controlled conditions closest to the real world, without losing the advantage of reliable reference conditions and replications, providing a link between laboratory studies and filed studies in natural environments. Here, for the first time, a formal comparison of different types of mesocosm applied to the study of marine contaminants is offered, considering that pollution of coastal areas represented a major concern in the last decades because of the abundance of discharged toxic substances. In particular, the structural characteristics of micro- and mesocosms (m-cosms) used to study marine contaminated sediments were reviewed, focusing on their advantages/disadvantages.

Molecular and Morphological Toxicity of Diatom-Derived Hydroxyacid Mixtures to Sea Urchin Embryos.

Oxylipins such as polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) and hydroxyacids (HEPEs) are signaling molecules derived from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are common in diatoms that constitute a major group of microalgae in freshwater and oceanic ecosystems. Although HEPEs represent the most common oxylipins produced by diatoms, little information is available on their effects on marine invertebrates, and most of the information has been obtained by testing individual HEPEs.