Deciphering the impact of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) on benthic foraminiferal communities: Insights from Cell-Tracker Green staining and eDNA metabarcoding.

This study investigates the ecotoxicological effects of BDE-209, a persistent organic pollutant (POP) prevalent in Kuwait's coastal-industrial areas, on benthic foraminiferal communities. We conducted a mesocosm experiment in which we exposed benthic foraminiferal communities sampled from the coastal-industrial areas of Kuwait to a gradient of BDE-209 concentrations (0.01 to 20 mg/kg).

Synergistic, antagonistic, and additive effects of naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene on Artemia franciscana nauplii and adult.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread across the globe and can be highly toxic for the marine environment. This research investigated the short-term (48 h of exposure) effects of PAHs mixtures on the nauplii and adult of crustacean Artemia franciscana considering the impact in term of toxicity and changes in gene expression. Results showed that all combinations caused additive or synergic effects with the exception of naphthalene + phenanthrene (NAP + PHE; Combination Index (CI) = 22.

On effect of poultry manure treatment with Effective Microorganisms with or without zeolite.

The decomposition process of poultry manure is generally mediated by microorganisms, whose degradation activity has beneficial effects on soil fertility but, on the other hand, leads to the generation of malodour gas. Indeed, a relevant problem of poultry farms is represented by the release of bad smells, which are mainly a consequence of decomposition process of chicken feces, chicken bedding, plumes, dropped feed, and dust. Furthermore, the unpleasant odour, associated with poultry manure degradation, not only limits its use in agriculture but also negatively affects the housing communities located near the farms.

Geospatial pattern of topsoil pollution and multi-endpoint toxicity in the petrochemical area of Augusta-Priolo (eastern Sicily, Italy).

The present study was aimed at identifying geospatial patterns of pollutants including concentrations and toxicity as complex environmental mixtures, in topsoil samples close to petrochemical facilities in the heavily industrialized area of Augusta and Priolo in south-eastern Sicily (Italy). Elemental analysis of soil was conducted by ICP-MS for 23 metals and 16 rare earth elements (REEs). Organic analyses were primarily focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (16 parent homologs) and total aliphatic hydrocarbons (C10 - C40).

Comparison between Macro and Trace Element Concentrations in Human Semen and Blood Serum in Highly Polluted Areas in Italy.

Macro and trace elements are important regulators of biological processes, including those ones linked to reproduction. Among them, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Se, and Zn ensure normal spermatic functions. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of 26 macro and trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, U, V, and Zn) in blood serum and also in semen of healthy young men, homogeneous for age, anthropometric characteristics, and lifestyle, living in three highly polluted areas in Italy.

Coffee Silverskin: Chemical and Biological Risk Assessment and Health Profile for Its Potential Use in Functional Foods.

The coffee supply chain is characterized by a complex network with many critical and unsustainable points producing a huge amount of waste products. Among these, coffee silverskin (CS), the only by-product of the coffee roasting phase, has an interesting chemical profile that suggests potential use as a food ingredient. However, few data on its safety are available.

In situ microcosm remediation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons: influence and effectiveness of Nano-Zero Valent Iron and activated carbon.

Nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) and activated carbon (AC) addition are ongoing techniques for the remediation of hydrophobic organic compound-contaminated sediment and water, but with still unexplored eco(toxico)logical implications, especially when applied in situ. In this study, we investigated AC and nZVI as remediation methods for marine contaminated sediment and water, including chemical and toxicity (Artemia franciscana survival and genotoxicity) surveys. The removal efficiency of AC and nZVI (about 99%) was similar in both sediment and seawater, while the survival of nauplii and adults was mainly impacted by nZVI than AC.

Aluminium exposure leads to neurodegeneration and alters the expression of marker genes involved to parkinsonism in zebrafish brain.

Aluminium, despite being extremely widespread in the world, is a non-essential metal to human metabolism. This metal is known to have toxic effects on a variety of organs including the brain and is considered an etiological factor in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms by which aluminium exerts neurotoxic effects are not yet completely understood.

Particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon uptake in relation to leaf surface functional traits in Mediterranean evergreens: Potentials for air phytoremediation.

We explored relationships between particulate matter (PM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) leaf concentrations, uptake rates and leaf surface functional traits in four Mediterranean evergreen trees (Chamaerops humilis, Citrus × aurantium, Magnolia grandiflora, and Quercus ilex) during a dry month. Pollutant leaf concentration at different dates and uptake rate were correlated. We quantified PM by gravimetric analysis, PAHs were extracted from intact and dewaxed leaves and analyzed by GC-MS, and cuticle thickness, number and surface of stomata (N and S) and trichomes (N and S) were determined by optical microscopy.

Spatial distribution of trace elements in surface sediments of Hooghly (Ganges) river estuary in West Bengal, India.

The spatial distribution of trace elements in surface sediments of the Hooghly estuary was studied over the monsoons in 2014-2017. As, Cd, Ni, Pb and U were two- to sixteen-fold the crust means with increasing levels toward the estuary, with Ni peak during the post-monsoon. Pearson's correlation matrix, cluster analysis, enrichment factors and pollution index revealed the anthropic source and association of trace elements with Fe, Mn and Al and of Pb with U.

Sub-Chronic Effects of Slight PAH- and PCB-Contaminated Mesocosms in Lmk: A Multi-Endpoint Approach and De Novo Transcriptomic.

Sediment pollution is a major issue in coastal areas, potentially endangering human health and the marine environments. We investigated the short-term sublethal effects of sediments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the sea urchin for two months. Spiking occurred at concentrations below threshold limit values permitted by the law (TLVPAHs = 900 µg/L, TLVPCBs = 8 µg/L, Legislative Italian Decree 173/2016).

Resolving the effects of environmental micro- and nanoplastics exposure in biota: A knowledge gap analysis.

The pervasive spread of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) has raised significant concerns on their toxicity in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. These polymer-based materials have implications for plants, wildlife and human health, threatening food chain integrity and ultimate ecosystem resilience. An extensive - and growing - body of literature is available on MP- and NP-associated effects, including in a number of aquatic biota, with as yet limited reports in terrestrial environments.

Hydrochemical, isotopic and microbiota characterization of telese mineral waters (Southern Italy).

The study deals with the analyses of springs and wells at the base of Montepugliano Hill that represents the SE edge of the wide carbonate Matese massif (Campania, southern Italy). At the base of the hill, from west to east and for almost one kilometre, cold springs HCO-Ca type (Grassano springs, ~ 4.5 m/s; TDS: about 0.

Review of Rare Earth Elements as Fertilizers and Feed Additives: A Knowledge Gap Analysis.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are key constituents of modern technology and play important roles in various chemical and industrial applications. They also are increasingly used in agricultural and zootechnical applications, such as fertilizers and feed additives. Early applications of REEs in agriculture have originated in China over the past several decades with the objective of increasing crop productivity and improving livestock yield (e.

Aging-Related Disorders and Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Critical Review for Prospect Mitoprotective Strategies Based on Mitochondrial Nutrient Mixtures.

A number of aging-related disorders (ARD) have been related to oxidative stress (OS) and mitochondrial dysfunction (MDF) in a well-established body of literature. Most studies focused on cardiovascular disorders (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and neurodegenerative disorders. Counteracting OS and MDF has been envisaged to improve the clinical management of ARD, and major roles have been assigned to three mitochondrial cofactors, also termed mitochondrial nutrients (MNs), i.

Mild toxicity of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate microplastics in Paracentrotus lividus early life stages.

The vast category of microplastics in the marine environment, encompassing among other aspects their persistence, degradation and impact on biota, has become an important topic of research. In spite of environmental health concerns, much work has yet to be done on understanding the potential roles of polymer sources, composition and particle sizes in causing adverse effects which have already been observed in a number of biota. The present study was aimed at adding to current knowledge by verifying if, and to what extent, embryogenesis in the sea urchin species Paracentrotus lividus is adversely affected by polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate virgin microparticles over a size range 1-230 μm and at concentrations of 0.

Do Wildfires Cause Changes in Soil Quality in the Short Term?

Wildfires have high frequency and intensity in the Mediterranean ecosystems that deeply modify the soil abiotic (i.e., pH, contents of water, organic matter and elements) and biotic properties (i.

Sediment contamination by heavy metals and ecological risk assessment: The case of Gulf of Pozzuoli, Naples, Italy.

Heavy metal concentrations in sediments of the Gulf of Pozzuoli, GoP, and northwest of the Gulf beyond Monte di Procida, MdP, were determined. The enrichment factor, EF, revealed in GoP strong pollution with peaks for Cr and Cu of 61.1 and 96.

Assessment of the relative sensitivity of the copepods Acartia tonsa and Acartia clausi exposed to sediment-derived elutriates from the Bagnoli-Coroglio industrial area.

The sensitivity of the copepods Acartia tonsa, commonly used in standardized tests for environmental risk assessment and A. clausi, the dominant autochthonous congener species in the Mediterranean Sea, was assessed using sediment-derived elutriates from the industrial area of Bagnoli-Coroglio and nickel chloride as referent toxicant. Acute A.

Microplastic-induced damage in early embryonal development of sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis.

Two microplastic sets, polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), were tested for adverse effects on early life stages of Sphaerechinus granularis sea urchins. Microparticulate PS (10, 80 and 230 μm diameter) and PMMA (10 and 50 μm diameter) were tested on developing S. granularis embryos from 10 min post-fertilisation (p-f) to the pluteus larval stage (72 h p-f), at concentrations ranging from 0.

Correction: Exhausted Woods from Tannin Extraction as an Unexplored Waste Biomass: Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Pollutant Adsorption Properties and Activating Effects of Hydrolytic Treatments. 2019, , 84.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to their paper [...

Exhausted Woods from Tannin Extraction as an Unexplored Waste Biomass: Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Pollutant Adsorption Properties and Activating Effects of Hydrolytic Treatments.

Exhausted woods represent a byproduct of tannin industrial production processes and their possible exploitation as a source of antioxidant compounds has remained virtually unexplored. We herein report the characterization of the antioxidant and other properties of practical interest of exhausted chestnut wood and quebracho wood, together with those of a chestnut wood fiber, produced from steamed exhausted chestnut wood. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assays indicated good antioxidant properties for all the materials investigated, with exhausted chestnut wood, and, even more, chestnut wood fiber exhibiting the highest activity.

Contaminants bioaccumulation and pathological assessment in Mytilus galloprovincialis in coastal waters facing the brownfield site of Bagnoli, Italy.

We studied the bioaccumulation of metals and PAHs, the pathological conditions, regressive phenomena and pathogens in wild Mytilus galloprovincialis taken along the North Pier facing the former second Italian largest steelworks of Bagnoli. There was no Cd and Pb bioaccumulation with respect to the EU role 221/2002. Metal shell index decreased as follows: Pb > Ni > Zn > Cu and correlates with the pollution state.