Levels of regulated POPs in fish samples from the Sava River Basin. Comparison to legislated quality standard values.

Fish samples of different species (i.e. rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss), barbel (Barbus barbus) and European chub (Squalius cephalus)) were collected from the Sava River Basin for a preliminary investigation of the levels of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDEs and PFAS as a whole.

Virtual water trade of agri-food products: Evidence from italian-chinese relations.

At global scale, the majority of world water withdrawal is for the agricultural sector, with differences among countries depending on the relevance of agri-food sector in the economy. Virtual water and water footprint could be useful to express the impact on the water resources of each production process and good with the objective to lead to a sustainable use of water at a global level. International trade could be connected to the virtual water flows, in fact through commodities importation, water poor countries can save their own water resources.

Total As and As Speciation in Italian Rice as Related to Producing Areas and Paddy Soils Properties.

Rice and rice-based foodstuffs are important pathways for inorganic As dietary intake. This work shows a detailed picture of As content and speciation in Italian rice, which contributes to more than one-half of the European production, and addresses the role of soil chemistry and agronomic management on As concentration in rice grain, in view of ameliorative strategies. The mean total As content in Italian white rice was 155 ± 65 μg kg with significant differences among producing areas, while the mean inorganic As was 102 ± 26 μg kg, largely below the E.

Occurrence of halogenated and organophosphate flame retardants in sediment and fish samples from three European river basins.

Classic (polybromodiphenyl ethers, PBDEs) and emerging halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) such as decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and halogenated norbornenes, as well as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were analysed in 52 sediments and 27 fish samples from three European river basins, namely the Evrotas (Greece), the Adige (Italy) and the Sava (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia). This is the first time that FR levels have been reported in these three European river basins. The highest contamination was found in the Adige and Sava rivers, whereas lower values were obtained for the Evrotas.

Analysis of organophosphorus flame retardants in environmental and biotic matrices using on-line turbulent flow chromatography-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A fast on-line analytical method based on turbulent flow chromatography (TFC) in combination with tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) has been applied for the analysis of fourteen organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) in sediment and fish samples. Applying this technique, time-consuming sample preparation steps were eliminated. The extraction was performed by ultrasound liquid extraction for biota and by pressurized liquid extraction for sediments.

Human exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds: Their role in reproductive systems, metabolic syndrome and breast cancer. A review.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are released into the environment from different sources. They are mainly used in packaging industries, pesticides and food constituents. Clinical evidence, experimental models, and epidemiological studies suggest that EDCs have major risks for humans by targeting different organs and systems in the body (e.

Assessment of diet-related GHG emissions using the environmental hourglass approach for the Mediterranean and new Nordic diets.

Food production and preparation affect the environment in many ways, with effects on greenhouse gases, use of land, biodiversity, etc. The impact is influenced by consumer demand and eating habits. Two different recommended dietary models were considered, the Mediterranean Diet and the New Nordic Diet, with quantitative analysis of GHG emissions through LCA.

Ecological status and sources of anthropogenic contaminants in mangroves of the Wouri River Estuary (Cameroon).

Mangroves are critically threatened by human activities, despite the important ecosystem functions and services they provide. Mangroves in Cameroon represent no exception to the worldwide trend of mangrove destruction, especially around Douala, on the Wouri river estuary. In two sites around Douala, we assessed the presence of sterols, PAHs, PCBs, DEHP, DDT and its metabolite p,p'-DDE and potentially toxic metals in sediment samples.

Wine Resveratrol: From the Ground Up.

The ability of the grapevine to activate defense mechanisms against some pathogens has been shown to be linked to the synthesis of resveratrol and other stilbenes by the plant (inducible viniferins). Metabolized viniferins may also be produced or modified by extracellular enzymes released by the pathogen in an attempt to eliminate undesirable toxic compounds. Because of the important properties of resveratrol, there is increasing interest in producing wines with higher contents of this compound and a higher nutritional value.

White paper on the promotion of an integrated risk assessment concept in European regulatory frameworks for chemicals.

The vision of a sustainable and safe use of chemicals to protect human health, preserve the environment and maintain the ecosystem requires innovative and more holistic approaches to risk assessment (RA) in order to better inform decision making. Integrated risk assessment (IRA) has been proposed as a solution to current scientific, societal and policy needs. It is defined as the mutual exploitation of environmental risk assessment (ERA) for human health risk assessment (HHRA) and vice versa in order to coherently and more efficiently characterize an overall risk to humans and the environment for better informing the risk analysis process.

Metal contamination of home garden soils and cultivated vegetables in the province of Brescia, Italy: implications for human exposure.

Background: For the past century, ferroalloy industries in Brescia province, Italy produced particulate emissions enriched in manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al). This study assessed metal concentrations in soil and vegetables of regions with varying ferroalloy industrial activity levels.

Methods: Home gardens (n=63) were selected in three regions of varying ferroalloy plant activity durations in Brescia province.

Soil microbial diversity patterns of a lowland spring environment.

The Po river plain lowland springs represent unique paradigms of managed environments. Their current locations used to be swamps that were drained 6-7 centuries ago, and they have been in constant use ever since. Our aims were to identify the effects of land use on the microbial communities of these soils, look for associated diversity drivers, and assess the applicability of ecology theories with respect to identified patterns.

Biomonitoring study of an estuarine coastal ecosystem, the Sacca di Goro lagoon, using Ruditapes philippinarum (Mollusca: Bivalvia).

Coastal lagoons are constantly subjected to releases of chemical pollutants, and so organisms may be exposed to such toxicants. This study investigated through a multivariate approach the physiological status of bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, farmed in Sacca di Goro lagoon. Biomarkers at different levels of biological organization (catalase, superoxide dismutase, genotoxicity, reburrowing behavior) were evaluated at three sites exposed to different environmental conditions.

Soil bacterial diversity screening using single 16S rRNA gene V regions coupled with multi-million read generating sequencing technologies.

The novel multi-million read generating sequencing technologies are very promising for resolving the immense soil 16S rRNA gene bacterial diversity. Yet they have a limited maximum sequence length screening ability, restricting studies in screening DNA stretches of single 16S rRNA gene hypervariable (V) regions. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of properties of four consecutive V regions (V3-6) on commonly applied analytical methodologies in bacterial ecology studies.

Response of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea to acute zinc stress and different moisture regimes in soil.

Ammonia oxidation has been intensively studied for its sensitivity to environmental shifts and stresses. However, acute stress effects on the occurrence and composition of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) based on expression of related molecular markers in complex soil environments have been to an extent overlooked, particularly concerning transient but commonly occurring environmental changes like soil moisture shifts. The present study investigates the responses of AOB and AOA to moisture shifts and high Zn soil content.

Residues of pirimiphos-methyl in cereals and processed fractions following post harvest spray application.

The aim of this work was to comparatively assess the persistence of pirimiphos methyl residues in cereals and in their milling fractions after spray application in post harvest. An analytical method, based on a slightly modified QuEChERS extraction followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) determination was validated: mean recovery was in the range 73% to 92% depending on the spiking level, and precision as RSD ranged from 11% to 16%. The analysis of treated samples revealed that pirimiphos-methyl residues were highly persistent and that no differences could be observed between wheat, durum wheat and oat.

Attitudes of rural population in emergency exposure situations.

People growing crops in kitchen gardens eat locally self-produced food and are the subject of growing attention as the potential for a more sustainable development. A survey was carried out in two provinces in northern Italy to gather information on the consumption of local horticultural products, peoples' expectations of authorities in the case of a nuclear accident and peoples' behaviour in the absence of official information. Results show that up to 70% of the owners of kitchen gardens possess diets comprised of more than 60% of self-produced vegetables and can be regarded as particular groups of population.

Radionuclide transfer to fruit in the IAEA TRS 364 Revision.

Information on the transfer of radionuclides to fruits was almost absent in the former TRS 364 "Handbook of parameter values for the prediction of radionuclide transfer in temperate environments". The revision of the Handbook, carried out under the IAEA Programme on Environmental Modelling for RAdiation Safety (EMRAS), takes into account the information generated in the years following the Chernobyl accident and the knowledge produced under the IAEA BIOMASS (Biosphere Modelling and Assessment) Programme in the years 1997-2000. This paper describes the most important processes concerning the behaviour of radionuclides in fruits reported in the IAEA TRS 364 Revision and provides recommendations for research and modelling.

Radionuclides in fruit systems: a review of experimental studies.

Existing information on processes and parameters analysed in experimental studies on fruits was reviewed at the inception of the activities of the IAEA BIOMASS Fruits Working Group. Additional information on experimental studies, collected during the activities of the Group and not included in the Review, is presented and discussed in this paper. Studies on deposition of (14)CO2, CO(35)S and (3)H2O in the gas phase to apple, raspberry, strawberry and blackcurrant have filled gaps in knowledge of uptake of gaseous pollutants in fruit plants, quantifying processes of deposition, translocation and carry-over between seasons.

Modelling and experimental studies on the transfer of radionuclides to fruit.

Although fruit is an important component of the diet, the extent to which it contributes to radiological exposure remains unclear, partially as a consequence of uncertainties in models and data used to assess transfer of radionuclides in the food chain. A Fruits Working Group operated as part of the IAEA BIOMASS (BIOsphere Modelling and ASSessment) programme from 1997 to 2000, with the aim of improving the robustness of the models that are used for radiological assessment. The Group completed a number of modelling and experimental activities including: (i) a review of experimental, field and modelling information on the transfer of radionuclides to fruit; (ii) discussion of recently completed or ongoing experimental studies; (iii) development of a database on the transfer of radionuclides to fruit; (iv) development of a conceptual model for fruit and (v) two model intercomparison studies and a model validation study.

Cesium-134 and strontium-85 in strawberry plants following wet aerial deposition.

The understanding of the processes that control the behavior of radionuclides in crops can support policymakers to take actions to protect the environment and safeguard human health. Data concerning the behavior of radionuclides in fruits are limited. Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne) plants were contaminated on the aboveground part by sprinkling an aqueous solution of 134Cs and 85Sr at three growing stages: predormancy, anthesis, and beginning of ripening.

Radionuclide transfer from soil to fruit.

The available literature on the transfer of radionuclides from soil to fruit has been reviewed with the aim of identifying the main variables and processes affecting the behaviour of radionuclides in fruit plants. Where available, data for transfer of radionuclides from soil to other components of fruit plant have also been collected, to help in understanding the processes of translocation and storage in perennial plants. Soil-to-fruit transfer factors were derived from agricultural ecosystems, both from temperate and subtropical or tropical zones.

Post-deposition transport of radionuclides in fruit.

This paper considers two main pathways for contamination of fruit by radionuclides: (i) absorption after deposition directly to exposed fruit surfaces, and (ii) absorption after deposition to other exposed plant surfaces followed by translocation to fruit. The aim is to collect the available information on fruit from temperate regions, identify the factors affecting post deposition processes in fruit plant systems, identify gaps in knowledge and give recommendations for future work. The majority of information available on above-ground absorption and further translocation to fruit concerns 134Cs and 85Sr in soluble form in apple, strawberry and grapevine.

Radionuclide transfer to fruits: a critical review. Introduction.

This paper provides a brief introduction to fruit, their definition, classification and geographical distribution. In the following review, the term "fruit" refers not to a well-defined botanical plant part but, in the horticultural sense, to a component of the human diet generally consumed as a dessert item. Plants that bear fruits cover a vast range of morphological and physiological traits.