Trace elements in feathers, pectoral plumage, and blood of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) from a captive environment of Southern Italy.

Heavy metals and metalloids are increasingly recognised as a threat to avian health, especially in species at the top of the food chain such as vultures. Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) are ideal bioindicators for studying environmental contamination due to their scavenging habits and territorial behavior. In this study, we analysed the concentrations of six trace elements (Cd, Pb, Cr, Sb, Ni, and Cu) in feathers, pectoral plumage, and blood samples of Griffon Vultures from a captive environment in Sicily, Southern Italy, using an ICP-MS method.

Survey on the presence of floating microplastics, trace metals and metalloids in seawater from Southern Italy to the United States of America.

The presence of microplastics (MPs), trace metals (TM) and metalloids (Ms) in surface seawater is a severe emerging issue of global concern. Information about the distribution of these pollutants is often lacking, and large-scale studies come with uncertainties because of difficult comparisons of results obtained using different methods to collect and process data. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of microplastics (MPs), trace metals (TM) and metalloids (Ms) in surface seawater during two transatlantic sampling campaigns, covering approximately 17,000 nautical miles.

Screening of Anisakis-Related Allergies and Associated Factors in a Mediterranean Community Characterized by High Seafood Consumption.

Dietary changes expose consumers to risks from larvae in seafood, leading to parasitic diseases and allergies. is recognized by EFSA as a significant hazard, with potential oncogenic implications. Diagnostic advancements, like the Basophil Activation Test (BAT), enhance sensitivity and accuracy in identifying sensitization, complementing traditional IgE tests.

Metal Levels in Striped Dolphins () and Common Dolphins () Stranded along the Sicilian Coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea.

Dolphins, top predators of the aquatic food chain, are used as sentinel species of marine pollution as they are sensitive to environmental changes and able to accumulate a large content of contaminants. Several EU directives promote study of marine mammalians as bio-indicators to evaluate the presence of contaminants in the aquatic environment, such as the Mediterranean Sea, which is rich in environmental pollutants due to its geographic and geo-morphological characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of toxic and essential metals and metalloids (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Se and Zn), through ICP-MS analysis, in organs/tissues (liver, muscle, lung, kidney and skin) of striped dolphins () and common dolphins ) stranded along the Sicilian coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea.