Search

In the last years biodegradable polymers (BPs) were largely used as real opportunity to solve plastic pollution. Otherwise, their wide use in commercial products, such as packaging sector, is causing a new pollution alarm, mainly because few data reported about their behaviour in the environment and toxicity on marine organisms. Our previous results showed that embryos of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lmk) exposed to poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) showed delay of their development and morphological malformations, also affecting at the molecular levels the expression of several genes involved in different functional responses. In the present work for the first time, we tested the effects of five microplastics (MPs) obtained from BPs such as PBS, poly(butylene succinate), PBSA, poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate), PCL, PHB and PLA, upon grazing activity of the sea urchin revealed by: i. histological analysis seeing at the gonadic tissues; ii. morphological analysis of the deriving embryos; iii. molecular analyses on these embryos to detect variations of the gene expression of eighty-seven genes involved in stress response, detoxification, skeletogenesis, differentiation and development. All these results will help in understanding how MP accumulated inside various organs in the adult sea urchins, and more in general in marine invertebrates, could represent risks for the marine environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile 1813 banquette provides precious ecosystem services for Mediterranean beach nourishment and protection, representing an important way of energy transfer through marine-coastal habitats. It is surprising to note how it is poorly investigated, especially concerning its double role as potential sink and source of chemicals. In particular, few studies exist about the metal (loid)s occurrence and no data are available on emerging contaminants, such as Rare Earth Elements (REEs). The present research investigated for the first time the concentrations of twenty-eight metal(loid)s and fifteen REEs in a well-structured banquette along the Italian coast (Central Tyrrhenian Sea) showing that (i) metal(loid)s and REEs occur in banquettes, with higher relative concentrations of some metal(loid)s (B, Sr, Mn, Fe, Al, Zn) and REEs (Ce, Y, La, Nd) with no statistically significant seasonal variations; (ii) Posidonia banquettes may represent an interesting biological model for chemicals monitoring., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Aquatic organisms are exposed to ever-changing complex mixtures of chemicals throughout their lifetime. Component-Based Mixture Risk Assessment (CBMRA) is a well-established methodology for water contaminant-mixture management, the use of which is growing due to improved access to reference ecotoxicity data and extensive monitoring datasets. It enables the translation of measured exposure concentrations of chemicals into biological effect values, and thus to quantitatively estimate the risk of the whole water sample (i.e., as a mixture). However, many factors can bias the final risk decision by impacting the risk metric components; thus, a careful design of the CBMRA is needed, taking into primary consideration the specific features of the dataset and mixture risk assessment assignments. This study systematically addressed the effects of the most common approaches used for handling the concentrations of chemicals below the limit of detection/quantification (LOD/LOQ) in CBMRA. The main results included: i) an informed CBMRA procedure that enables the tracking of the risk decisions triggered by substances below LOD/LOQ, ii) a conceptual map and guidance criteria to support the selection of the most suitable approach for specific scenarios and related interpretation; iii) a guided implementation of the informed CBMRA on dataset of pesticide concentrations in Italian rivers in 2020 (702,097 records)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Plastic is a ubiquitous material in our life, and its durability represents a great problem for the environment. Several studies reported the occurrence of plastic litter in different environmental compartments and, consequently, numerous efforts are currently focused on how improving its recycling process and produce environmentally friendly solutions. In recent years, biodegradable polymers/plastics (BPs) have been proposed to reduce environmental impacts in specific applications (e.g., when conventional plastics are difficult or expensive to remove from the environment). Their wide use in commercial products, especially in the packaging sector, is causing new pollution alarm. Research studies are ongoing to improve BPs manufacturing and characteristics, but few data are reported about their behavior and toxicity into the marine environment. This paper reviewed the current state of the art highlighting that, even though the degradation of BPs in simulated or real marine environments is quite investigated, only eleven papers reported their effects on marine organisms (e.g., behavioral and oxidative stress and potential cascading effects on marine ecosystems). Presently, the main benefits of BPs are linked to waste management (including collection and recycling of organic waste). Due to the existing knowledge gaps, BPs cannot be deemed yet as a solution to marine plastic pollution., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to detect ecotoxicological effects of 0.1 μm polystyrene microbeads in marine organisms belonging to different trophic levels. MP build up, lethal and sub-lethal responses were investigated in the bacterium Vibrio anguillarum (culturability), in the green microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta (growth inhibition), in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis (mortality and swimming speed alteration) and in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (immobility and swimming speed alteration) exposed to a wide range of microplastic (MP) concentrations (from 0.001 to 10 mg L -1 ). Survival was not affected in all organisms up to 10 mg L -1 , while algal growth inhibition, rotifer and sea urchin larvae swimming behaviour alterations were observed after exposure to MPs. Ingestion was only observed in rotifers and it was directly correlated with sub-lethal effects. These results account for the ecotoxicological risk associated to the polystyrene microbeads, which are able to affect different endpoints in primary producers and consumers (rotifers and sea urchins) since no effects were observed in decomposers. This study points out the importance of using a battery of marine organisms belonging to different trophic levels by studying acute toxicity of MPs at low and high contamination levels, and investigating sub-lethal responses. Further investigations aimed at studying the transfer of these materials through the web are particularly recommended., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The OECD TG 215 method (2000) (C.14 method of EC Regulation 440/2008) was developed on the rainbow trout (Oncorynchus mykiss) to assess chronic toxicity (28d) of chemicals on fish juveniles. It contemplates to use other well documented species identifying suitable conditions to evaluate their growth. OECD proposes the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L. 1758) as Mediterranean species among vertebrates recommended in the OECD guidelines for the toxicity testing of chemicals. In this context, our study is aimed to proposing the adaptation of the growth test (OECD TG 215, 2000) to D. labrax. For this purpose toxicity tests were performed with sodium dodecyl sulfate, a reference toxicant commonly used in fish toxicity assays. The main aspects of the testing procedure were reviewed: fish size (weight), environmental conditions, dilution water type, experimental design, loading rate and stocking density, feeding (food type and ration), test validity criteria. The experience gained from growth tests with the sea bass allows to promote its inclusion among the species to be used for the C.14 method., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Metal oxide nanoparticles, among them copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), are widely used in different applications (e.g. batteries, gas sensors, superconductors, plastics and metallic coatings), increasing their potential release in the environment. In aquatic matrix, the behavior of CuO NPs may strongly change, depending on their surface charge and some physical-chemical characteristics of the medium (e.g. ionic strength, salinity, pH and natural organic matter content). Ecotoxicity of CuO NPs to aquatic organisms was mainly studied on freshwater species, few tests being performed on marine biota. The aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of CuO NPs on suitable indicator species, belonging to the ecologically relevant level of consumers. The selected bioassays use reference protocols to identify Effect/Lethal Concentrations (E(L)C), by assessing lethal and sub-lethal endpoints. Mortality tests were performed on rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis), shrimp (Artemia franciscana) and copepod (Tigriopus fulvus). While moult release failure and fertilization rate were studied, as sub-lethal endpoints, on T. fulvus and sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus), respectively. The size distribution and sedimentation rates of CuO NPs, together with the copper dissolution, were also analyzed in the exposure media. The CuO NP ecotoxicity assessment showed a concentration-dependent response for all species, indicating similar mortality for B. plicatilis (48hLC 50 = 16.94 ± 2.68mg/l) and T. fulvus (96hLC 50 = 12.35 ± 0.48mg/l), followed by A. franciscana (48hLC 50 = 64.55 ± 3.54mg/l). Comparable EC 50 values were also obtained for the sub-lethal endpoints in P. lividus (EC 50 = 2.28 ± 0.06mg/l) and T. fulvus (EC 50 = 2.38 ± 0.20mg/l). Copper salts showed higher toxicity than CuO NPs for all species, with common sensitivity trend as follows: P. lividus ≥ T. fulvus (sublethal endpoint) ≥ B. plicatilis >T. fulvus (lethal endpoint) >A. franciscana. CuO NP micrometric aggregates and high sedimentation rates were observed in the exposure media, with different particle size distributions depending on the medium. The copper dissolution was about 0.16% of the initial concentration, comparable to literature values. The integrated ecotoxicological-physicochemical approach was used to better describe CuO NP toxicity and behavior. In particular, the successful application of ecotoxicological reference protocols allowed to produce reliable L(E)C data useful to identify thresholds and assess potential environmental hazard due to NPs., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The impact of nanoplastics using model polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs), anionic (PS-COOH) and cationic (PS-NH 2 ), has been investigated on the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis, a major component of marine zooplanktonic species. The role of different surface charges in affecting PS NP behaviour and toxicity has been considered in high ionic strength media. To this aim, the selected media were standardized reconstituted seawater (RSW) and natural sea water (NSW), the latter resembling more natural exposure scenarios. Hatched rotifer larvae were exposed for 24h and 48h to both PS NPs in the range of 0.5-50μg/ml using PS NP suspensions made in RSW and NSW. No effects on lethality upon exposure to anionic NPs were observed despite a clear gut retention was evident in all exposed rotifers. On the contrary, cationic NPs caused lethality to rotifer larvae but LC 50 values resulted lower in rotifers exposed in RSW (LC 50 =2.75±0.67µg/ml) compared to those exposed in NSW (LC 50 =6.62±0.87µg/ml). PS NPs showed similar pattern of aggregation in both high ionic strength media (RSW and NSW) but while anionic NPs resulted in large microscale aggregates (Z-average 1109 ± 128nm and 998±67nm respectively), cationic NP aggregates were still in nano-size forms (93.99 ± 11.22nm and 108.3 ± 12.79nm). Both PDI and Z-potential of PS NPs slightly differed in the two media suggesting a role of their different surface charges in affecting their behaviour and stability. Our findings confirm the role of surface charges in nanoplastic behaviour in salt water media and provide a first evidence of a different toxicity in rotifers using artificial media (RSW) compared to natural one (NSW). Such evidence poses the question on how to select the best medium in standardized ecotoxicity assays in order to properly assess their hazard to marine life in natural environmental scenarios., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A research project has been performed to the request of the RAMOGE Executive Secretariat to identify differences between dispersant approval procedures in France and Italy and propose ways to harmonize them. A collaborative study has been conducted by CEDRE (Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution) and ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) to: a) compare current approval procedures in Italy and France with identification of differences and commonalities; b) carry out toxicity tests using both procedures on two selected dispersants; c) propose a common approach between Italy and France. The results showed that, because of the differences in ecotoxicological tests and in the evaluation criteria used, the outcomes on the same products could be different in Italy and in France. Both tested dispersants met the French requirements for approval (LC 50 ≥ 10 times reference toxicant), while only one dispersant met the Italian approval criterion (EC 50 > 10mg/L). A possible way of harmonizing the approval procedures could be to increase the number of test organisms in the French procedure, which currently only uses one crustacean species. Furthermore, a common criterion for toxicity assessment should be discussed and agreed., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Swimming speed alteration and mortality assays with the marine crustacean Artemia franciscana were carried out. EC50 and LC50 values after 24-48h exposures were calculated for two reference toxicants, copper sulphate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS), and an ecotoxicological concern organic compound, Diethylene Glycol (DEG). Different end-points have been evaluated, in order to point out their sensitivity levels. The swimming speed alteration (SSA) was compared to mortality values and also to the hatching rate inhibition (literature data). SSA resulted to be more sensitive than the mortality and with a sensitivity comparable to (or even higher than) the hatching rate endpoint., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a chemical compound used during offshore oil activities to prevent hydrate formation, and it may be released into the sea. A full ecotoxicological characterization is required according to European and Italian regulations for chemical substances. We have evaluated long-term toxic effects of DEG on indicator species of the marine environment as algae (Phaeodactylum tricornutum), crustaceans (Artemia franciscana), molluscs (Tapes philippinarum) and fish (Dicentrarchus labrax). A range of no observed effect concentrations (365-25,000 mg/L) has been identified. Based on the toxicity results and the ratio between predicted environmental concentration and predicted no-effect concentration, we have estimated the maximum allowable value of DEG in the marine environment., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Diethylene glycol (DEG) is commonly used to dehydrate natural gas in off-shore extraction plants and to prevent formation of gas hydrates. It may be released into the sea accidentally or in discharged produced waters (PWs). PWs samples from off-shore gas platforms in the Adriatic Sea (Italy) have been used in this study. The objectives of the study were: a) to evaluate the toxicity of DEG for marine organisms; b) to evaluate if a high DEG content in PWs may alter their toxicity; c) to verify whether the DEG threshold concentration established by the Italian legislation (3.5 g/l) for PWs discharged at sea is safe for marine environment. Ten different species (Vibrio fischeri, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Brachionus plicatilis, Artemia franciscana, Tigropus fulvus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Crassostrea gigas, Tapes philippinarum and Dicentrarchus labrax) have been exposed to DEG; four of these species were also exposed to PWs in combination with DEG. The results showed that: a) DEG is not toxic at levels normally detected in Adriatic PWs; b) DEG in combination with PW showed mainly additive or synergistic effects; c) short-term bioassays showed that the DEG limit of 3.5 g/l could be acceptable., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Produced formation waters (PFWs), a by-product of both oil and gas extraction, are separated from hydrocarbons onboard oil platforms and then discharged into the sea through submarine outfalls. The dispersion of PFWs into the environment may have a potential impact on marine ecosystems. We reproduce the initial PFW-seawater mixing process by means of the UM3 model applied to offshore natural gas platforms currently active in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea). Chemical analyses lead to the identification of a chemical tracer (diethylene glycol) which enables us to follow the fate of PFWs into receiving waters. The numerical simulations are realized in different seasonal conditions using both measured oceanographic data and tracer concentrations. The numerical results show the spatial and temporal plume development in different stratification and ambient current conditions. The analytical approach measures concentrations of the diethylene glycol at a maximum sampling distance of 25 m. The results show a good agreement between field observations and model predictions in the near-field area. The integration of numerical results with chemical analyses also provides new insight to plan and optimize PFW monitoring and discharge.