Impact of PET micro/nanoplastics on the symbiotic system Azolla filiculoides-Trichormus azollae.

The symbiotic system Azolla filiculoides-Trichormus azollae was exposed for ten days to environmentally relevant concentrations (i.e. 0.

Epigenetic changes induced by chronic and acute chromium stress treatments in Arabidopsis thaliana identified by the MSAP-Seq.

Chromium (Cr) is an highly toxic metal to plants and causes severe damage to their growth, development, and reproduction. Plant exposure to chronic and acute Cr stress treatments results in significant changes at short time in the gene expression profile and at long time in the genomic DNA methylation profile at a transgenerational level and, consequently, in gene expression. These epigenetic modifications and their implications imposed by the Cr stress are not yet completely known in plants.

Impact of airborne iron oxide nanoparticles on Tillandsia usneoides as a model plant to assess pollution in heavy traffic areas.

Due to the increasing evidence of widespread sub-micron pollutants in the atmosphere, the impact of airborne nanoparticles is a subject of great relevance. In particular, the smallest particles are considered the most active and dangerous, having a higher surface/volume ratio. Here we tested the effect of iron oxide (FeO) nanoparticles (IONPs) with different mean diameter and size distribution on the model plant Tillandsia usneoides.

Biochar from co-pyrolysis of biological sludge and sawdust in comparison with the conventional filling media of vertical-flow constructed wetlands for the treatment of domestic-textile wastewater.

A biochar from co-pyrolysis of a mixture of sawdust and biological sludge (70/30, w/w), providing a high environmental compatibility in terms of water leachable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and inorganic elements, together with a remarkable surface area (389 m/g), was integrated into laboratory-scale vertical-flow constructed wetlands (VF-CWs), planted with Phragmites australis and unplanted. Biochar-filled VF-CWs have been tested for 8 months for the refining of effluents from the tertiary clariflocculation stage of a wastewater treatment plant operating in a mixed domestic-industrial textile context, in comparison with systems filled with gravel. VF-CW influents and effluents were monitored for chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, and absorbance values at 254 and 420 nm, the latter as rapid and reliable screening parameters of the removal of organic micropollutants containing aromatic moieties and/or chromophores.

Growth, physiological parameters and DNA methylation in Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid exposed to PET micro-nanoplastic contaminated waters.

The effects of polyethylene terephthalate micro-nanoplastics (PET-MNPs) were tested on the model freshwater species Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid., with focus on possible particle-induced epigenetic effects (i.

Adverse Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Humans and the Environment.

The pervasive pollution caused by nano- and microplastics (N/MPLs) is a pressing concern, and was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the substantial release of disposable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into the environment [...

Metabolic Responses in Leaves of 15 Italian Olive Cultivars in Correspondence to Variable Climatic Elements.

This study aims to evaluate the metabolic changes that occurred in olive leaves as responses over time to variations in climatic elements. Rainfall, temperature, and solar radiation data were collected over 4 months (August-November) to assess the impact of different climatic trends on the metabolism of the leaves of 15 Italian olive cultivars, cultivated at the experimental farm of the University of Florence. The net photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (g), measured as main indicators of primary metabolism, were mainly influenced by the "cultivar" effect compared to the "climate" effect.

Can microplastics threaten plant productivity and fruit quality? Insights from Micro-Tom and Micro-PET/PVC.

Solanum lycopersicum L., a crop grown worldwide with a high nutritional value for the human diet, was used to test the impact of microplastics on plant growth, productivity, and fruit quality. Two of the most represented microplastics in soils, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), were tested.

In vitro and in vivo copper-treated Myrtus communis L.: terpene profiles and evidence for potential cultivation on metal-contaminated soils.

The intensive application of agro-chemicals, and in particular of copper (Cu)-based compounds, causes increasing pollution of agricultural land, with serious risks for human health. Aromatic plants used for purposes other than food, can be considered for the exploitation and/or remediation of metal-polluted substrates, since contamination of the essential oils by these metals was not significant. Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.

Transgenerational effects of chromium stress at the phenotypic and molecular level in Arabidopsis thaliana.

In this study, we describe the results obtained in a study of the transgenerational phenotypic effects of chromium (Cr) stress on the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. The F1 generation derived from parents grown under chronic and medium chronic stress showed significantly higher levels of the maximal effective concentration (EC) compared with F1 plants generated from unstressed parents. Moreover, F1 plants from Cr-stressed parents showed a higher germination rate when grown in the presence of Cr.

Interplay of plastic pollution with algae and plants: hidden danger or a blessing?

In the era of plastic pollution, plants have been discarded as a system that is not affected by micro and nanoplastics, but contrary to beliefs that plants cannot absorb plastic particles, recent research proved otherwise. The presented review gives insight into known aspects of plants' interplay with plastics and how plants' ability to absorb plastic particles can be utilized to remove plastics from water and soil systems. Microplastics usually cannot be absorbed by plant root systems due to their size, but some reports indicate they might enter plant tissues through stomata.

Plastic is in the air: Impact of micro-nanoplastics from airborne pollution on Tillandsia usneoides (L.) L. (Bromeliaceae) as a possible green sensor.

Due to the increasing evidence of widespread plastic pollution in the air, the impact on plants of airborne particles of polycarbonate (PC), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), and polyvinylchloride (PVC) was tested by administering pristine and aged airborne micro-nanoplastics (MNPs) to Tillandsia usneoides for two weeks. Here we showed that exposure to pristine MNPs, significantly reduced plant growth with respect to controls. Particularly, PVC almost halved plant development at the end of the treatment, while the other plastics exerted negative effects on growth only at the beginning of the exposure, with final stages comparable to those of controls.

Improving plant-based genotoxicity bioassay through AFLP technique for trace metal-contaminated water: insights from Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. and Cd.

In this work, we evaluated whether the species Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. can be a promising material for devising reliable eco-toxicological tests for Cd-contaminated waters.

Photosynthesizing while hyperaccumulating nickel: Insights from the genus Odontarrhena (Brassicaceae).

Nickel-induced changes in photosynthetic activity were investigated in three Ni-hyperaccumulating Odontarrhena species with increasing Ni tolerance and accumulation capacity, O. muralis, O. moravensis, and O.

Impact of microplastics on growth, photosynthesis and essential elements in Cucurbita pepo L.

In this study, Cucurbita pepo L., one of the most cultivated, consumed and economically important crop worldwide, was used as model plant to test the toxic effects of the four most abundant microplastics identified in contaminated soils, i.e.

Agronomic performance and food safety of strawberry cultivated on a remediated sediment.

A marine sediment phytoremediated and homogenized by landfarming was tested for its potential recycle as growing media in horticulture. Two strawberry cultivars, Camarosa and Monterey, were grown on remediated sediment alone (TS100), commercial peat/pumice based growing medium (TS0) and a mixture 1:1 in volume of sediment and peat (TS50). Chemical fertility and strawberry production and safety of produced food were monitored for three consecutive productive seasons on the same growing media.

Green and cost-effective synthesis of copper nanoparticles by extracts of non-edible and waste plant materials from Vaccinium species: Characterization and antimicrobial activity.

The aim of this work was the green synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) using aqueous extracts of (i) bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) waste residues from the production of fruit juices and (ii) non-edible "false bilberry" fruits (Vaccinium uliginosum L. subsp.

Population Genetics of (Brassicaceae) from Albania: The Effects of Anthropic Habitat Disturbance, Soil, and Altitude on a Ni-Hyperaccumulator Plant Group from a Major Serpentine Hotspot.

Albanian taxa and populations of the genus are most promising candidates for research on metal tolerance and Ni-agromining, but their genetic structure remains unknown. We investigated phylogenetic relationships and genetic differentiation in relation to distribution and ploidy of the taxa, anthropic site disturbance, elevation, soil type, and trace metals at each population site. After performing DNA sequencing of selected accessions, we applied DNA-fingerprinting to analyze the genetic structure of 32 populations from ultramafic and non-ultramafic outcrops across Albania.

Inability to accumulate Ni in a genus of hyperaccumulators: the paradox of Odontarrhena sibirica (Brassicaceae).

Odontarrhena is a highly diverse genus of Ni-hyperaccumulators. Here, we demonstrate substantial inability to accumulate Ni in the facultative serpentinophyte O. sibirica, which seems a unique case among the numerous species of the genus that grow on ultramafic soils.

Closing the loop in a constructed wetland for the improvement of metal removal: the use of Phragmites australis biomass harvested from the system as biosorbent.

Among the numerous clean-up techniques for water treatment, sorption methods are widely used for the removal of trace metals. Phragmites australis is a macrophyte commonly used in constructed wetlands for water purification, and in the last decades, its use as biosorbent has attracted increasing attention. In view of a circularly economy approach, this study investigated improvement of trace metal removal by recycling the biomass of P.

Extracting cadmium in the presence of salt: a study on three poplar clones under controlled conditions.

This study aimed at determining the cadmium phytoextraction potential of three Populus alba L. clones cultivated in the presence of increasing sodium chloride concentrations. Plantlets of a commercial and two autochthonous poplar clones were grown in perlite with nutrient solution enriched in CdSO (50 and 100 μM) and NaCl (25 and 50 mM), administered either alone or in combination.

Improving the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants: Bio-removal of heavy-metals and pharmaceuticals by Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minuta.

In this study, we investigated the removal of Fe(III), Cr(VI), Al(III), diclofenac, and levofloxacin from treated wastewater in the presence of the free-floating plants Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minuta, to understand whether these species can be effectively used in a surface flow constructed wetland as wastewater refining treatment. Fe and Al were selected owing to their wide use as coagulant agents in wastewater treatment plants for promoting clariflocculation processes, whilst Cr was chosen due to its common use in industry. Diclofenac and levofloxacin, two molecules belonging to the most widely used pharmaceutical classes in the world, were studied as representative anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, respectively.

Effects of Cadmium on ZO-1 Tight Junction Integrity of the Blood Brain Barrier.

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic environmental pollutant released from the smelting and refining of metals and cigarette smoking. Oral exposure to cadmium may result in adverse effects on a number of tissues, including the central nervous system (CNS). In fact, its toxicity has been related to neurological disorders, as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Alternative responses to fungal attack on a metalliferous soil: Phytohormone levels and structural changes in Silene paradoxa L. growing under copper stress.

In this work, a non-metallicolous and a metallicolous population of S. paradoxa were exposed to copper excess and fungal elicitation, and investigated for phytohormone production and cytological alterations. Under the stress applied separately and in combination, S.

The multi-purpose role of hairiness in the lichens of coastal environments: Insights from Seirophora villosa (Ach.) Frödén.

The fruticose epiphytic lichen Seirophora villosa, strictly associated with Juniperus shrublands in the Mediterranean basin, was used to investigate the role of hairiness on a lichen thallus, as a characteristic morphological trait. We evaluated the effect of hair removal on the physiological parameters of a set of samples, during desiccation and on exposure to different salt concentrations. Hairy thalli were less affected by salt, suggesting that during dehydration, the presence of hair protects the thallus from light irradiance, oxidative stresses and the lipid peroxidation generated by free radicals, and could offer passive, but selective, water control.