This study introduces a high-resolution wind nowcasting model designed for aviation applications at Madeira International Airport, a location known for its complex wind patterns. By using data from a network of six meteorological stations and deep learning techniques, the produced model is capable of predicting wind speed and direction up to 30-minute ahead with 1-minute temporal resolution. The optimized architecture demonstrated robust predictive performance across all forecast horizons.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe concentration of nanoplastics (NPs) is expected to increase in aquatic environments thus potentially threatening freshwater organisms through interactions with plastic particles that variously float, circulate in the water column or sink into the benthos. Studies into the mechanisms of any NP effects are still scarce, particularly with respect to the regenerative ability of biota for which there is no recognised model organism. The present study therefore aimed to investigate behavioural and regeneration responses of the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina after 10 days exposed to along a gradient 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPersonal care products have various organic ultraviolet filters (UV filters) in their composition to increase protection against ultraviolet radiation. Some of these products also contain insect repellents in their formulations. Consequently, these compounds reach freshwater ecosystems, exposing aquatic organisms to a cocktail of anthropogenic contaminants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProduced water (PW) generated by oil companies is a highly impacting waste that contains chemicals such as metals and organic and inorganic compounds. Given its polluting potential, PW requires effective treatment before being discharged into the environment. Conventional treatments have limited efficiency in removing PW toxicity, so alternative approaches must be developed and standardized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Freshwater organisms are facing increasing salinity levels, not only due to natural environmental processes, but also human activities, which can cause several physiological adaptations to osmotic stress. Additionally, these organisms might also have to deal with contamination by microbial insecticides. Our main goal was to use Chironomus xanthus to assess the chronic effects of increasing the salinity and commercial formulations of the microbial insecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis subs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral studies have shown that ingestion of microplastics causes adverse effects in aquatic organisms, including sediment-dwelling invertebrates. Most studies focus on evaluating the effects of plastic particles alone without testing the mediating effects of different natural stressors and thus lacking realistic exposure scenarios. The present study addresses the interactive effects of exposure to polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs; 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe high levels of microplastics (MPs) found in freshwaters, particularly in riverine sediments, may impose a threat to the macroinvertebrate communities with possible consequences at ecosystem-level. The present study aimed to assess the effects of a mixture of different sizes of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) on the composition and structure of macroinvertebrate communities and key-functions, such as primary production and leaf litter decomposition. MPs were mixed in the sediment at three different concentrations (0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFreshwater planarians can be useful for the evaluation of contaminant stress on behavioral endpoints. In this work, we studied the sensitivity of the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina in response to two model stressors (Hg and NaCl) by evaluating mortality, feeding rate and locomotion. A simple feeding assay with G.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt has been observed that freshwater planarians can accumulate cadmium in their head portions, with neurotoxicity and head loss accompanying this phenomenon. Since planarians exhibit head loss and symptoms of neurotoxicity in response to PAHs, we investigated the differential accumulation of pyrene and B[a]P in the body and head portions of Girardia tigrina, a freshwater planarian. It is evidenced that planarian head fragments present higher amounts of pyrene- and B[a]P-equivalents than body fragments, indicating a differential distribution of these compounds within planarian tissues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Sci Pollut Res Int
February 2022
Bio-insecticides have been increasingly used worldwide as ecofriendly alternatives to pesticides, but data on their effects in non-target freshwater organisms is still scarce and limited to insects. The aim of this study was to determine the lethal and sub-lethal effects of the bio-insecticides Bac Control (based on Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki-Btk) and Boveril (based on Beauveria bassiana-Bb) on regeneration, behavioral, and reproductive endpoints of the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina. The estimated LC were > 800 mg a.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFreshwater riverbeds are a major repository of microplastics (MPs) from inland activities. Benthic macroinvertebrates that live in close contact with sediments seem to ingest a considerable amount of such plastic particles. The effects of MPs on life-history traits are relatively well-known, but the suborganismal mechanisms underlying such effects remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBioinsecticides based on the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) are increasingly being applied directly into aquatic compartments to control nuisance mosquitoes and blackflies and are generally considered environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides. Bti-based insecticides are considered highly selective, being Diptera-specific, and supposedly decompose rapidly in the environment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe activation of insects' immune system due to the ingestion of microplastics (MPs) has only been evidenced by the upregulation of specific genes. The activation of phenoloxidase (PO) system is one of the primary responses involved in insects' innate immunity when facing parasites and pathogens, and ingestion of MPs can trigger a similar process. This study aimed at addressing the activities of basal PO and total PO (PO+ prophenoloxidase - proPO), in Chironomus riparius larvae (a model species in ecotoxicology) exposed to sediments spiked with polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs; size-range 32-63 µm; concentrations: 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFreshwater planarians are free-living flatworms known for their regenerative ability. Being easily cultured under laboratory conditions, they are recognized test model organisms in regeneration, developmental biology, and neuropharmacological research. Also, they have been recently employed in toxicity testing where they displayed an array of sensitive and reliable responses to environmental stressors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe potential of proteome responses as early-warning indicators of insecticide exposure was evaluated using the non-biting midge (Meigen) as the model organism. larvae were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of the neurotoxic pesticide spinosad to uncover molecular events that may provide insights on the long-term individual and population level consequences. The iTRAQ labeling method was performed to quantify protein abundance changes between exposed and non-exposed organisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRiverine sediments are major sinks of microplastics from inland anthropogenic activities, imposing a threat to freshwater benthic invertebrates. This study investigated the ingestion of three size-classes (SC) of irregularly shaped polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs; SC I: 32-63 μm; II: 63-250 μm; III: 125-500 μm) after 48 h by dipteran larvae (detritivore/collector) Chironomus riparius, and the consequent effects on neurotransmission, energy allocation and oxidative stress. The tested PE-MPs concentrations (1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants of aquatic ecosystems. Because they are persistent, there is great potential for chronic toxicity to aquatic species, and the evaluation of reproductive effects is fundamental. In this context, planarians are interesting experimental animals, since they can be sensitive to environmental pollutants, and a wide range of reproductive-related endpoints can be assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSalinization in freshwaters is gradually increasing as a result of human activities and climatic changes. Higher salt content causes stress for freshwater organisms. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is among the most frequently occurring salts in freshwater ecosystems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the last decades, the use of organic ultraviolet-filters (UV-filters) has increased worldwide, and these compounds are now considered emerging contaminants of many freshwater ecosystems. The present study aimed to assess the effects of 3-(4-methylbenzylidene) camphor (4-MBC) on a freshwater invertebrate community and on associated ecological functions. For that, artificial streams were used, and a natural invertebrate benthic community was exposed to sediments contaminated with two concentrations of 4-MBC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFipronil is a phenylpyrazole insecticide that entered the market to replace organochlorides and organophosphates. Fipronil impairs the regular inhibition of nerve impulses that ultimately result in paralysis and death of insects. Because of its use as a pest control, and due to runoff events, fipronil has been detected in freshwater systems near agricultural areas, and therefore might represent a threat to non-target aquatic organisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAzo dyes are the largest class of dyes extensively used by industries despite their mutagenic potential for humans. As such, natural dyes have been reemerging as an important alternative to human safety. However, limited studies have focused on the effect of dyes on the environment, thus their ecotoxicological investigation is imperative.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe demand of glyphosate-based herbicides including Roundup® is rising in the tropics due to increase occurence of glyphosate-resistant weeds that require higher herbicide application rates but also because of their use associated with genetically engineered, glyphosate-tolerant crops. Consequently, there is now an excessive use of glyphosate in agricultural areas with potential adverse effects also for the surrounding aquatic environments. This study aimed to determine the sensitivity of the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina to acute and chronic exposures of Roundup®.
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