Bacterial clustering amplifies the reshaping of eutrophic plumes around marine particles: A hybrid data-driven model.

Multifaceted interactions between marine bacteria and particulate matter exert a major control over the biogeochemical cycles in the oceans. At the microbial scale, free-living bacteria benefit from encountering and harnessing the plumes around nutrient-releasing particles, like phyto-plankton and organic aggregates. However, our understanding of the bacterial potential to reshape these eutrophic microhabitats remains poor, in part because of the traditional focus on fast-moving particles that generate ephemeral plumes with lifetime shorter than the uptake timescale.

Is in-situ burning an acceptable mitigation option after a major oil spill? Impact on marine plankton.

Major oil spills can impose a significant environmental hazard on the marine ecosystem, and a promising mitigation measure is in-situ oil burning (ISB). However, our knowledge of the impact of the burned residues and soot deposition on the marine ecosystem is still limited. We investigated the effects of burned oil residue and soot deposition on the marine plankton communities of the oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Sea with a mesocosm experiment.

Distinct Communities of Bacteria and Unicellular Eukaryotes in the Different Water Masses of Cretan Passage Water Column (Eastern Mediterranean Sea).

Elucidating marine microbiota diversity and dynamics holds significant importance due to their role in maintaining vital ecosystem functions and services including climate regulation. This work aims to contribute in the understanding of microbial ecology and networking in one of the world's most understudied marine regions, the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. High-throughput 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing analysis was applied to study the diversity of bacteria and unicellular eukaryotes in the different water masses of the Cretan Passage during two seasonally-different sampling expeditions.

Diversity links to functionality: Unraveling the impact of pressure disruption and culture medium on crude oil-enriched microbial communities from the deep Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Mesopelagic water from the deep Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) was collected under disrupted (REPRESS) or undisturbed (HP) pressure conditions and was acclimated to oil (OIL) or dispersed-oil (DISPOIL) under in situ pressure and temperature (10 MPa, 14 °C). Decompression resulted in oil-acclimatised microbial communities of lower diversity despite the restoration of in situ pressure conditions during the 1-week incubation. Further biodiversity loss was observed when oil-acclimatised communities were transferred to ONR7 medium to facilitate the isolation of oil-degrading bacteria.

Comparative Chemical Profiling and Antimicrobial/Anticancer Evaluation of Extracts from Farmed versus Wild and Sponges.

Marine sponges are highly efficient in removing organic pollutants and their cultivation, adjacent to fish farms, is increasingly considered as a strategy for improving seawater quality. Moreover, these invertebrates produce a plethora of bioactive metabolites, which could translate into an extra profit for the aquaculture sector. Here, we investigated the chemical profile and bioactivity of two Mediterranean species (i.

Effect of endophytic bacteria on the phytoremediation potential of halophyte for Sb-contaminated soils.

Phytoremediation, including bacteria-assisted phytoremediation, presents a promising technology for treating shooting range soils contaminated with toxic metalloids. In this study, a pot experiment was performed using the halophyte and soil collected from a shooting range and artificially spiked at two different antimonite (Sb(III)) concentrations (50 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg) with the aim to explore the Sb phytoremediation of the halophyte. The effect of salt (0.

Extreme weather events as an important factor for the evolution of plastisphere but not for the degradation process.

Marine plastics, with their negative effects on marine life and the human health, have been recently recognized as a new niche for the colonization and development of marine biofilms. Members of the colonizing communities could possess the potential for plastic biodegradation. Thus, there is an urgent need to characterize these complex and geographically variable communities and elucidate the functionalities.

Effect of chemical species and temperature on the stability of air nanobubbles.

The colloidal stability of air nanobubbles (NBs) was studied at different temperatures (0-30 °C) and in the presence of sulfates, typically found in mining effluents, in a wide range of NaSO concentrations (0.001 to 1 M), along with the effect of surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfate), chloride salts (NaCl), and acid/base reagents at a pH range from 4 to 9. Using a nanobubble generator based on hydrodynamic cavitation, 1.

Uptake of aquaculture-related dissolved organic pollutants by marine sponges: Kinetics and mechanistic insights from a laboratory study.

Besides the release of organic matter from uneaten feed and fish excreta, a considerable amount of deleterious chemicals may also end up into the marine environment from intensive aquaculture. A fraction of these pollutants remains freely dissolved and pose a threat to marine life due to increased bioavailability. Given the filter-feeding ability of sponges, we investigated the capacity of four ubiquitous Mediterranean species (Agelas oroides, Axinella cannabina, Chondrosia reniformis and Sarcotragus foetidus) in removing aquaculture-related dissolved organic pollutants.

Intertwined synergistic abiotic and biotic degradation of polypropylene pellets in marine mesocosms.

The accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans has caused growing concern for its effects on marine life. The interactions of plastics with environmental factors have been linked to fragmentation to micro- and nanoparticles with different properties and consequences, but the mechanism of fragmentation has not been fully understood yet. In this work, we investigate the combined effect of marine communities and ultraviolet (UV) radiation towards the degradation of virgin and artificially weathered polypropylene (PP) pellets after a long-term incubation period in marine mesocosms.

Relationship between the Carbonyl Index (CI) and Fragmentation of Polyolefin Plastics during Aging.

The durability of plastics in the marine environment has emerged as a crucial environmental issue. However, the contribution of several factors and the threshold point after which a plastic product generates secondary micro- and nanoplastics is still unclear. To investigate the interaction of environmental parameters with the physicochemical properties of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) films in the marine environment, polyolefin films were subjected to weathering in emulated coastal and marine environments for 12 months, focusing on the relationship between radiation load, alteration on the surface, and subsequent generation of microplastics (MPs).

Capacity of to Phytoremediate Sb-Contaminated Soils Assisted by Organic Acids and Oxygen Nanobubbles.

Antimony (Sb) is considered to be a toxic metalloid of increasing prevalence in the environment. Although several phytoremediation studies have been conducted, research regarding the mechanisms of Sb accumulation and translocation within plants remains limited. In this study, soil from a shooting range was collected and spiked with an initial Sb(III) concentration of 50 mg/kg.

MPs and NPs intake and heavy metals accumulation in tissues of Palinurus elephas (J.C. Fabricius, 1787), from NW Aegean sea, Greece.

European marine waters are infested with plastic, with an average density of 1 plastic item in every four square-meters. Research relevant to MPs-NPs ingestion by wild decapods in European waters is limited, none of which regards the European spiny lobster. Totally 4102 plastic particles were extracted from the spiny lobster stomach tissues of both sexes.

Impact of Microbial Uptake on the Nutrient Plume around Marine Organic Particles: High-Resolution Numerical Analysis.

The interactions between marine bacteria and particulate matter play a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and associated inorganic elements in the oceans. Eutrophic plumes typically form around nutrient-releasing particles and host intense bacterial activities. However, the potential of bacteria to reshape the nutrient plumes remains largely unexplored.

Removal of pathogens from greywater using green roofs combined with chlorination.

Greywater is an important alternative water resource which could be treated and reused in buildings, reducing the freshwater demand in drought affected areas. For the successful implementation of this solution, it is important to ensure the microbial safety of treated greywater. This study examined the microbiological quality of treated greywater produced by an emergent nature-based technology (green roofs) and a chlorination process.

A Multi-Species Investigation of Sponges' Filtering Activity towards Marine Microalgae.

Chronic discharge of surplus organic matter is a typical side effect of fish aquaculture, occasionally leading to coastal eutrophication and excessive phytoplankton growth. Owing to their innate filter-feeding capacity, marine sponges could mitigate environmental impact under integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) scenarios. Herein, we investigated the clearance capacity of four ubiquitous Mediterranean sponges (, , and ) against three microalgal substrates with different size/motility characteristics: the nanophytoplankton sp.

Olive mill wastewater phytoremediation employing economically important woody plants.

In this study two plant species, Punica granatum L. and Myrtus communis L., have been tested as candidates for phytoremediation of olive mill wastewater (OMW) through recirculation in soil pilot units, according to the proposed patented technology by Santori and Cicalini [EP1216963 A.

Use of green roofs for greywater treatment: Role of substrate, depth, plants, and recirculation.

This work focuses on the use of green roof as a modified shallow vertical flow constructed wetland for greywater treatment in buildings. Different design parameters such as substrate (perlite or vermiculite), substrate depth (15 cm or 25 cm), and plant species (Geranium zonale, Polygala myrtifolia or Atriplex halimus) were tested to determine optimum selection. In addition, the application of a 40% recirculation rate was applied during last month of the experiment to quantify the efficiency of pollutants removal.

Dissolved oxygen technologies as a novel strategy for non-healing wounds: A critical review.

Non-healing wounds are steadily becoming a global-health issue. Prolonged hypoxia propagates wound chronicity; yet, oxygenating treatments are considered inadequate to date. Dissolved oxygen (DO) in aqueous solutions introduces a novel approach to enhanced wound oxygenation, and is robustly evaluated for clinical applications.

Interactions of microplastics, antibiotics and antibiotic resistant genes within WWTPs.

Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in atmosphere, soil, and water and have been characterized as contaminants of emerging concern. When exposed to these environments, MPs interact with the chemical compounds as well as the (micro)organisms inhabiting these ecosystems. This paper overviews the interactions and significant factors influencing the sorption process of antibiotics on MPs since distinct interactions are developed between MPs and antibiotics.

Sinking characteristics of microplastics in the marine environment.

Plastic pollution is presently one of the most widespread and minimally understood problems. Vast quantities of plastics that have entered the marine environment should be detected floating on the sea surface are seemingly missing from the global budget. A vertical transfer process should be able to explain the imbalance in mass, as well as the findings of buoyant plastics at the bottom of the sea.

Interactions between microplastics and organic pollutants: Effects on toxicity, bioaccumulation, degradation, and transport.

Microplastics (MPs), defined as particles with diameters <5 mm and including nanoplastics (NPs), with diameters <1 μm, are characterized by large specific surface areas and hydrophobicity. In aquatic and terrestrial environments, MPs interact with co-occurring organic pollutants through sorption and desorption, which alters the environmental behavior of the pollutants, such as their toxicity, bioaccumulation, degradation, and transport. In this review, we summarize the results of current studies of the interactions between MPs and organic contaminants, and focus on the different mechanisms and subsequent ecological risks of contaminant transfer among environmental media, MPs and organisms.

Root Bacteria Recruited by in Constructed Wetlands Have the Potential to Enhance Azo-Dye Phytodepuration.

The microbiome associated with plants used in phytodepuration systems can boost plant growth and services, especially in ecosystems dealing with recalcitrant compounds, hardly removed via traditional wastewater (WW) treatments, such as azo-dyes used in textile industry. In this context, we aimed to study the cultivable microbiome selected by plants in a Constructed Wetland (CW) in Morocco, in order to obtain candidate inoculants for the phytodepuration of azo-dye contaminated WW. A collection of 152 rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria was established.

Evaluation of a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment: Addressing emerging organic contaminants and antibiotic resistant bacteria.

The occurrence of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in wastewaters and the inability of the conventional wastewater treatments plants to deal with them have been pointed out several times over the last few years. As a result, remnants of those compounds released into the aquatic environment present a potential risk for public health. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been proposed as environmentally friendly, low-cost alternative systems with satisfactory results for different types of contaminants.

Biodegradation of mixture of plastic films by tailored marine consortia.

This work sheds light on the physicochemical changes of naturally weathered polymer surfaces along with changes of polymer buoyancy due to biofilm formation and degradation processes. To support the degradation hypothesis, a microcosm experiment was conducted where a mixture of naturally weathered plastic pieces was incubated with an indigenous pelagic community. A series of analyses were employed in order to describe the alteration of the physicochemical characteristics of the polymer (FTIR, SEC and GPC, sinking velocity) as well as the biofilm community (NGS).