Evaluation of microplastic pollution using bee colonies: An exploration of various sampling methodologies.

Recent research has highlighted the potential of honeybees and bee products as biological samplers for monitoring xenobiotic pollutants. However, the effectiveness of these biological samplers in tracking microplastics (MPs) has not yet been explored. This study evaluates several methods of sampling MPs, using honeybees, pollen, and a novel in-hive passive sampler named the APITrap.

Evaluation of the sorption/desorption processes of pesticides in biodegradable mulch films used in agriculture.

Microplastics from mulch films can be a source of chemical contamination to agricultural soils. In this context, biodegradable films have been widely positioned as a greener choice. However, their sorption/desorption capabilities, in contrast to the conventional plastic types remain understudied.

Quantification of nanoplastic uptake and distribution in the root, stem and leaves of the edible herb Lepidum sativum.

This study confirms the uptake, translocation and bioaccumulation of 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics in the root, stem and leaves of the plant Lepidum sativum at exposure concentrations ranging from environmentally realistic 10 μg/L up to a high of 100 mg/L. Accumulation in plant tissues was characterised by aggregation in the intercellular spaces and heterogeneous distribution. Nanoplastic presence was confirmed in the root tips, root surface and stele, lateral roots, root hairs, stem vascular bundles, leaf veins and mesophyll, as well as leaf epidermis including stomatal sites.

Validation of a quick and easy extraction method for the determination of emerging contaminants and pesticide residues in agricultural soils.

Treated wastewater is currently used in the agricultural sector to solve the lack of availability of freshwater in many regions. However, reclaimed water can contain multiclass of organic contaminants. Therefore, the soil can become a reservoir of agricultural (e.

In vivo exposure of marine mussels to venlafaxine: bioconcentration and metabolization.

Pharmaceuticals are present in natural waters, thus contributing to the general exposure of aquatic organisms, but few data are available on the accumulation of these substances in marine organisms. The present study evaluated the in vivo bioconcentration of an antidepressant-venlafaxine (VLF)-in marine mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) during 7 days of exposure at nominal 10 μg/L concentration, followed by a 7-day depuration period. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) was 265 mL/g dry weight (dw).

Pesticide residues evaluation of organic crops. A critical appraisal.

In the last decade, the consumption trend of organic food has increased dramatically worldwide. Since only a few pesticides are authorized in organic crops, concentrations are expected to range at zero or ultra-trace levels. In this context, the aim of the present study was to investigate the need for an improvement in the residue controls at very low concentrations (<0.

A non-targeted metabolomic approach to identify food markers to support discrimination between organic and conventional tomato crops.

In the last decade, the consumption trend of organic food has increased dramatically worldwide. However, the lack of reliable chemical markers to discriminate between organic and conventional products makes this market susceptible to food fraud in products labeled as "organic". Metabolomic fingerprinting approach has been demonstrated as the best option for a full characterization of metabolome occurring in plants, since their pattern may reflect the impact of both endogenous and exogenous factors.

Diurnal variations in personal care products in seawater and mussels at three Mediterranean coastal sites.

The presence of personal care products (PCPs) in the marine environment is of major concern. PCPs, UV filters, and musks can enter the marine environment indirectly through wastewater or directly via recreational activities. We conducted this study to document patterns in the occurrence of seven PCPs at three coastal sites impacted by recreational activities during 1 day.

Occurrence of PPCPs in the marine environment: a review.

Little research has been conducted on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the marine environment despite being increasingly impacted by these contaminants. This article reviews data on the occurrence of PPCPs in seawater, sediment, and organisms in the marine environment. Data pertaining to 196 pharmaceuticals and 37 personal care products reported from more than 50 marine sites are analyzed while taking sampling strategies and analytical methods into account.

Reducing PEC uncertainty in coastal zones: a case study on carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine and their metabolites.

Concentrations of the antiepileptic drugs carbamazepine (Cbz), oxcarbazepine (OxCz) and their main metabolites were predicted in a wastewater treatment plant (WTP) and in the vicinity of its submarine outfall located in a Mediterranean coastal zone. Refined predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) were calculated in effluents based on consumption data and human excretion rates. PECs were estimated in the sea using the hydrodynamic MARS 3D model integrating meteorological data, oceanic conditions (wind, tide, atmospheric pressure), freshwater and sewage inputs.

Quantitative determination of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers in urine by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry.

Rationale: Dendrimer nanocarriers have become of increasing interest in the field of biomedicine for their drug delivery potential. Surface modifications and optimized nanosize control are the strategies being followed to enhance drug delivery efficacy and renal clearance, especially for dendrimers of a lower generation number. The aim of this study was the development and performance evaluation of an analytical method for the quantitative determination of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers in urine.

New trends in the analytical determination of emerging contaminants and their transformation products in environmental waters.

Since the so-called emerging contaminants were established as a new group of pollutants of environmental concern, a great effort has been devoted to the knowledge of their distribution, fate and effects in the environment. After more than 20 years of work, a significant improvement in knowledge about these contaminants has been achieved, but there is still a large gap of information on the growing number of new potential contaminants that are appearing and especially of their unpredictable transformation products. Although the environmental problem arising from emerging contaminants must be addressed from an interdisciplinary point of view, it is obvious that analytical chemistry plays an important role as the first step of the study, as it allows establishing the presence of chemicals in the environment, estimate their concentration levels, identify sources and determine their degradation pathways.

Analytical improvements of hybrid LC-MS/MS techniques for the efficient evaluation of emerging contaminants in river waters: a case study of the Henares River (Madrid, Spain).

Purpose: Instrumental capabilities and software tools of modern hybrid mass spectrometry (MS) instruments such as high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF), and quadrupole linear ion trap (QLIT) were experimentally investigated for the study of emerging contaminants in Henares River water samples.

Methods: Automated screening and confirmatory capabilities of QTOF working in full-scan MS and tandem MS (MS/MS) were explored when dealing with real samples. Investigations on the effect of sensitivity and resolution power influence on mass accuracy were studied for the correct assignment of the amoxicillin transformation product 5(R) amoxicillin-diketopiperazine-2',5' as an example of a nontarget compound.

Determination of malachite green residues in fish using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-linear ion trap mass spectrometry.

This paper describes the development of an analytical procedure to determine malachite green (MG) residues in salmon samples using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as the extraction and clean-up material, followed by liquid chromatography-linear ion trap mass spectrometry (LC-QqQLIT-MS/MS). MG and two structurally related compounds, crystal violet (CV) and brilliant green (BG) were employed for the selectivity test. The imprinted polymers exhibited high binding affinity for MG, while CV and BG showed less binding capacity: 47% and 34%, respectively.

Evaluation of various liquid chromatography-quadrupole-linear ion trap-mass spectrometry operation modes applied to the analysis of organic pollutants in wastewaters.

The LC-MS/MS analysis of a group of 14 organic pollutants in wastewater--including pharmaceuticals (analgesics/anti-inflammatories, lipid regulators and diuretics), pesticides (diuron) and disinfectants (chlorophene)--has been carried out using a hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap-mass spectrometer (QqLIT). In order to take advantage of the capabilities of the QqLIT system, two methods have been developed and compared, based on the application of different operation modes. One of them uses selected reaction monitoring (SRM), which is the standard mode for quantitative LC-MS/MS analysis.

Application of passive sampling devices for screening of micro-pollutants in marine aquaculture using LC-MS/MS.

Knowledge on the presence of micro-pollutants, in particular emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, biocides or some pesticides, in semi-enclosed coastal areas, where fish farms are installed, is very limited. This article shows data on the presence of micro-pollutants over 1 year monitoring campaign carried out in a fish farm placed on the Mediterranean Sea. With this work, the results of the development of an analytical procedure which, makes use of passive sampling techniques (with polar organic chemical integrative samplers, POCIS, pharmaceutical configuration) and of the LC-QLIT-MS system, are presented.

Determination of selected non-authorized insecticides in peppers by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry.

In this work, two analytical methods based on liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-TOFMS) and tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) are described for the identification, confirmation and quantitation of three insecticides non-authorized in the European Union (nitenpyram, isocarbophos and isofenphos-methyl) but detected in recent monitoring programmes in pepper samples. The proposed methodologies involved a sample extraction procedure using liquid-liquid partition with acetonitrile followed by a cleanup step based on dispersive solid-phase extraction. Recovery studies performed on peppers spiked at different fortification levels (10 and 50 microg kg(-1)) yielded average recoveries in the range 76-100% with relative standard deviation (RSD) (%) values below 10%.

Application of liquid chromatography/quadrupole-linear Ion trap mass spectrometry and time-of-flight mass spectrometry to the determination of pharmaceuticals and related contaminants in wastewater.

This paper describes an enhanced liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) strategy for the analysis of a selected group of 56 organic pollutants in wastewater. This group comprises 38 pharmaceuticals and 10 of their most frequent metabolites, 6 pesticides, and 2 disinfectants. The LC-MS methodology applied is based in the use of a hybrid triple-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer (QTRAP) in combination with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS).