Baseline assessment of macrolitter on the coastline of Algeria: Fit-for-purpose data for tailor-made measures to navigate the Plasticene Age.

Curbing the growing threat of marine litter requires reliable, coherent and fit-for-purpose data. The present study reports the findings of beach macrolitter surveys carried out in seventeen sites along the coastline of Algeria. The median litter density recorded along these sites amounted to 578 items per 100 m of coastline (range: 317-2684 items/100 m).

Use of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) in Water Chemistry Studies.

Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) equipped with integrated sensors are a tool valuable to several monitoring strategies, offering enhanced temporal and spatial coverage over specific timeframes, allowing for targeted examination of sites or events of interest. The elaboration of environmental monitoring programs has relied so far on periodic spot sampling at specific locations, followed by laboratory analysis, aiming at the evaluation of water quality at a catchment scale. For this purpose, automatic telemetric stations for specific parameters have been installed by the Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters of Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (IMBRIW-HCMR) within several Greek rivers and lakes, providing continuous and temporal monitoring possibilities.

Assessing marine macrolitter on the coastline of the Asterousia Biosphere Reserve: Insights from a community-based study.

Even in pristine and remote environments of the Mediterranean, marine litter is building up threatening habitats and species and inhibiting sustainable development. The present study reports the findings of beach litter surveys carried out by 250 local community members in nine sites along the coastline of the Asterousia Biosphere Reserve, situated in the southernmost end of Europe. The average recorded litter density along these sites amounted to 125 items per 100 meters of coastline (range: 22-510) and to 0.

Chromium speciation, mobility, and Cr(VI) retention-release processes in ultramafic rocks and Fe-Ni lateritic deposits of Greece.

Water contamination by geogenic hexavalent chromium is an emerging issue in areas developed on ultramafic rocks and their weathering products. In this study, samples of serpentinites, soil, and laterites were collected and analyzed for the levels of Cr species, distribution into phases of different mobility, mineralogy, Cr oxidation capacity, and leaching of Cr(VI). Total chromium (2176-21,929 mg kg) was mainly found in Cr spinels (~ 50% wt as CrO) and Fe (hydr)oxides (2.

Plastic pollution on the Mediterranean coastline: Generating fit-for-purpose data to support decision-making via a participatory-science initiative.

Plastic pollution is a global problem and reliable, coherent and comparable data are essential for targeted mitigation strategies. Throughout the years Mediterranean NGOs have significantly contributed to providing data and information on the temporal and spatial distribution of marine litter found stranded on beaches; thus participatory-science campaigns are an essential tool to fill in the marine litter knowledge gaps. The present study reports the findings of beach litter surveys carried out by 7 NGOs in 23 sites along the coastline of the Mediterranean.

Marine litter on the beaches of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas: An assessment of their abundance, composition and sources.

The abundance, composition and sources of marine litter were determined on beaches located in the seven countries of the Adriatic-Ionian macroregion, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia. A total of 70,581 marine litter items were classified and recorded through one-year long surveys carried out in 31 sites. The average litter density of 0.

Characterization of PM chemical composition at the Demokritos suburban station, in Athens Greece. The influence of Saharan dust.

The aim of this work is to study the atmospheric concentrations of selected major and trace elements and ions found in PM, at a suburban site in Athens, Greece, and discuss on the impact of the different sources. Special focus is given to the influence of Saharan dust episodes. The seasonal variability in the metal and ion concentrations is also examined.

Organic complexation of copper in throughfall and open field bulk deposition: Influence of the tree canopy of Mediterranean forest ecosystems.

The complexing capacity for Cu ions (L) and the apparent stability constant values (logK) were measured in throughfall (TF) and open field bulk deposition (BD), at two Mediterranean forest ecosystems of western Greece. L was measured for the first time in the TF of natural forests. Concentrations of L were three-to-four-fold higher in TF (mean ± st.

Predictors of cadmium and lead concentrations in the blood of residents from the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece).

The Cd and Pb blood contents of healthy adult subjects who are non-occupationally exposed and living in the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece) have not been assessed thus far. Additionally, Greeks rank first among EU27 in terms of smoking habits. To fill the existing gap, we aimed to evaluate the predictors and propose reference values (RVs) of the Cd (CdB) and Pb (PbB) blood concentrations in residents of the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece).

Copper complexing properties and physico-chemical characterisation of the organic matter in Greek herbal infusions.

Complex formation is among the mechanisms affecting metals' bioaccessibility. Evaluating the extent of interactions between trace elements and several constituents of food items is of great interest. This paper examines the release of copper-complexing ligands in herbal infusions of 13 aromatic plants commonly used in Greece.

New insights into hydrothermal vent processes in the unique shallow-submarine arc-volcano, Kolumbo (Santorini), Greece.

We report on integrated geomorphological, mineralogical, geochemical and biological investigations of the hydrothermal vent field located on the floor of the density-stratified acidic (pH ~ 5) crater of the Kolumbo shallow-submarine arc-volcano, near Santorini. Kolumbo features rare geodynamic setting at convergent boundaries, where arc-volcanism and seafloor hydrothermal activity are occurring in thinned continental crust. Special focus is given to unique enrichments of polymetallic spires in Sb and Tl (±Hg, As, Au, Ag, Zn) indicating a new hybrid seafloor analogue of epithermal-to-volcanic-hosted-massive-sulphide deposits.

Copper complexing properties of exudates and metabolites of macroalgae from the Aegean Sea.

Macroalgae are a significant source of extracellular organic material in the coastal areas of the Mediterranean, including organic ligands which serve as modulators of metal complexing capacity. This paper examines the release of copper-complexing ligands by 24 macroalgal species, including chlorophyta, rhodophyta, ochrophyta as well as Posidonia oceanica, common throughout the Mediterranean. Metabolites isolated from the algae Dictyota dichotoma and Pterocladiella capillacea were examined for the first time regarding their Cu-complexing properties.

Bioaccumulation of metals (Cd, Cu, Zn) by the marine bivalves M. galloprovincialis, P. radiata, V. verrucosa and C. chione in Mediterranean coastal microenvironments: association with metal bioavailability.

The concentrations of Cd, Cu and Zn in both the whole soft tissue and separate organs (gills, mantle, muscle and digestive gland) of wild bivalves (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Pinctada radiata, Venus verrucosa and Callista chione) from three different coastal microenvironments of Greece were monitored from 2003 to 2004. In parallel, by employing appropriate analytical protocols for metal partitioning, the labile fraction of the metals was determined in the dissolved phase, suspended particulate matter and sediments. Differences in the metal levels were detected both among the study areas as well as among the bivalves examined.

Heavy metals in raw, fried and grilled Mediterranean finfish and shellfish.

The effect of domestic pan-frying and grilling on Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn content of popular small Mediterranean finfish and shellfish was studied. The species selected -namely anchovy, bogue, hake, picarel, sardine, sand smelt, stripped mullet, Mediterranean mussel, shrimp and squid- are among the most commonly marketed and consumed in Greece and most of the Mediterranean countries. Both culinary practices examined resulted in increased metals concentrations compared to those of raw samples, the increment being inversely related to fish size and -in most cases- being more extended in pan-frying.

Comparison of ISO-GUM and Monte Carlo methods for the evaluation of measurement uncertainty: application to direct cadmium measurement in water by GFAAS.

The propagation stage of uncertainty evaluation, known as the propagation of distributions, is in most cases approached by the GUM (Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement) uncertainty framework which is based on the law of propagation of uncertainty assigned to various input quantities and the characterization of the measurand (output quantity) by a Gaussian or a t-distribution. Recently, a Supplement to the ISO-GUM was prepared by the JCGM (Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology). This Guide gives guidance on propagating probability distributions assigned to various input quantities through a numerical simulation (Monte Carlo Method) and determining a probability distribution for the measurand.

Integrated use of biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, catalase and lipid peroxidation) in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis for assessing heavy metals' pollution in coastal areas from the Saronikos Gulf of Greece.

Mussels are used as sentinel organisms and bioindicators to evaluate the toxic effects of chemical pollutants in marine organisms, especially heavy metals, representing an important tool for biomonitoring environmental pollution in coastal areas. Antioxidant defence enzymes play an important role in cellular antioxidant defence systems and protect from oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Indigenous mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis of the Saronikos Gulf of Greece were used for monitoring heavy metal pollution in three polluted sites in the area and in one unpolluted site.

Molecular biomarkers of oxidative stress in aquatic organisms in relation to toxic environmental pollutants.

The potential of oxygen free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) to damage tissues and cellular components, called oxidative stress, in biological systems has become a topic of significant interest for environmental toxicology studies. The balance between prooxidant endogenous and exogenous factors (i.e.

Environmental impacts of coastal aquaculture in eastern Mediterranean bays: the case of Astakos Gulf, Greece.

Goal, Scope And Background: Over the last decade Greece has become a leading country in the EU as concerns the cage farming of seabream and seabass. A strong debate has risen, however, about the environmental impacts of aquacultures in the coastal areas. The present paper deals with this problem and it is based on measurements of physico-chemical parameters in the water column, particulate matter and sediments in the area of Astakos Gulf, a coastal embayment in western Greece where three big fish farms are currently operating.