Fingerprinting Mediterranean hurricanes using pre-event thermal drops in seawater temperature.

Extreme atmospheric-marine events, known as medicanes (short for "Mediterranean hurricanes"), have affected the Mediterranean basin in recent years, resulting in extensive coastal flooding and storm surges, and have occasionally been responsible for several casualties. Considering that the development mechanism of these events is similar to tropical cyclones, it is plausible that these phenomena are strongly affected by sea surface temperatures (SSTs) during their development period (winter and autumn seasons). In this study, we compared satellite data and the numerical reanalysis of SSTs from 1969 to 2023 with in situ data from dataloggers installed at different depths off the coast of southeastern Sicily as well as from data available on Argo floats on the Mediterranean basin.

Biofilm-induced effect on the buoyancy of plastic debris: An experimental study.

Plastic floating on the ocean surface represents about 1 % of all plastic in the ocean, despite the buoyancy of most plastics. Biofouling can help to sink debris, which could explain this discrepancy. A set of laboratory experiments was conducted to investigate biofilm-induced effects on the buoyancy of different plastic debris.

The EU Interreg Project "GEREMIA" on waste management for the improvement of port waters: results on monitoring the health status of fish as bioindicator.

Highly anthropized areas as ports represent complex scenarios that require accurate monitoring plans aimed to address the environmental status. In this context, the activities of the EU Interreg Project "GEstione dei REflui per il MIglioramento delle Acque portuali (GEREMIA)" were focused on comparing sites differently affected by human presence, as the Port of Genoa and the natural area of the S'Ena Arrubia fishpond: a panel of analyses was carried out on Mugilidae fish sampled in these two areas, aimed to address trace metal accumulation in the liver, gills, and muscle, as well as cytochrome P450 (CYP450) induction in liver and biliary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites, and histopathological alterations in the liver and gills. Chemical analyses in the liver, gills, and muscle of specimens collected in the port area showed an overall higher degree of trace metal contamination compared to the natural fishpond, and similar results were obtained in terms of CYP450 induction and biliary PAH metabolites, suggesting a higher exposure to organic compounds.

Wave-induced cross-shore distribution of different densities, shapes, and sizes of plastic debris in coastal environments: A laboratory experiment.

Plastic debris is a significant threat to marine and coastal ecosystems. Previous research found that waves, wind, as well as density, size, and shape of microplastics, drive their transport and dispersion. In this paper, a set of laboratory experiments on the effect of waves and wave-induced currents on the input rate and cross-shore transport and dispersion of different types of plastic debris, including the macro and mesosizes, in addition to microplastics is presented.

Mugilidae fish as bioindicator for monitoring plastic pollution: Comparison between a commercial port and a fishpond (north-western Mediterranean Sea).

In the last decade, interest in monitoring and managing plastic pollution has greatly increased. This study compared levels of microplastic contamination in stomachs of Mugilidae fish, suggesting this family as a target for plastic pollution monitoring in areas with different degrees of anthropisation. Two sites characterised by low and high anthropic impact, a fishpond (S'Ena Arrubia, Italy) and a port (Genoa, Italy), respectively, were compared.

Port Sediments: Problem or Resource? A Review Concerning the Treatment and Decontamination of Port Sediments by Fungi and Bacteria.

Contamination of marine sediments by organic and/or inorganic compounds represents one of the most critical problems in marine environments. This issue affects not only biodiversity but also ecosystems, with negative impacts on sea water quality. The scientific community and the European Commission have recently discussed marine environment and ecosystem protection and restoration by sustainable green technologies among the main objectives of their scientific programmes.

Correction to: Microplastics in seawater: sampling strategies, laboratory methodologies, and identification techniques applied to port environment.

The article Microplastics in seawater: sampling strategies, laboratory methodologies, and identification techniques applied to port environment.

Microplastics in seawater: sampling strategies, laboratory methodologies, and identification techniques applied to port environment.

The European Interreg Italy-France 2014-2020 Maritime Project SPlasH! (Stop to Plastics in HO!) focused on the study of microplastics (MPs) in the marine port environment to evaluate their presence, abundance, and mechanisms of diffusion to the open sea. In the framework of this project, a worldwide review of 74 studies was carried out, providing an overview of MP investigation techniques, focusing on sampling strategies, laboratory methodologies, and identification of MPs collected in seawater, and specifically evaluating their applicability to the marine port environment. Nets were the most commonly used device for MP surface sampling, but their use can be difficult in narrow spaces within the port basins, and they must be coupled to discrete sampling devices to cover all port basins.

Influence of initial conditions on absolute and relative dispersion in semi-enclosed basins.

Absolute and relative dispersion are fundamental quantities employed in order to assess the mixing strength of a basin. There exists a time scale called Lagrangian Integral Scale associated to absolute dispersion that highlights the occurrence of the transition from a quadratic dependence on time to a linear dependence on time. Such a time scale is commonly adopted as an indicator of the duration needed to lose the influence of the initial conditions.