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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. • Posidonia banquette for biomonitoring of contaminant transfer into coastal habitats. • One of the few studies on metal(loid)s and the first on REEs in P. oceanica banquette • Metal(loid)s and REEs concentrations trend independent from seasonality. • Comparable metal(loid)s content among Mediterranean Sea banquettes • Higher REEs values in Tyrrhenian banquette than in Black Sea seagrass (Zostera sp.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brine shrimp, Artemia spp., is widely used in ecotoxicology as a target biological model. Although several protocols were available in the early 1980s, only the 24-h acute mortality toxicity test was evaluated in a European intercalibration exercise during that period. Nevertheless, documentation of standard methods serving to provide specifications, guidelines or detailed characteristics of the 24-h protocol is still unavailable. This paper present the results of an intercalibration study of three toxicity-testing protocols using Artemia franciscana : (a) the 24-h static acute mortality test, (b) the 48-h static hatching test and (c) the 14-d static-renewal long-term mortality test. A first tier of experiments was conducted by a reference laboratory, which investigated the repeatability of the three methods. The feasibility and reproducibility of these protocols were then investigated by an intercomparison exercise involving 11 participants for the acute mortality test, seven for the acute hatching test and nine for the long-term mortality test. Protocols were tested on reference toxicants (copper sulphate pentahydrate and sodium dodecyl sulphate). The coefficients of variation were <20% and <50% for intra- and interlaboratory activities, respectively. These results encourage the standardization of the proposed methods and their use as regulatory procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 25m. 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. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Surfaces of poorly cemented carbonate dunes of the coast of southern Somalia contain as exhumed bodies treelet rhizoliths and subfossil shells of the giant land snail Achatina. Present-day coastal dunes in southern Somalia are poorly vegetated and do not support living Achatinas. Thus, the presence of these subfossils provides evidence for a more humid period in the past: the subfossil giant land snails and the rhizoliths indicate a palaeoenvironment which was probably similar to the modern environment of the coastal belt of Kenya and of the southernmost corner of coastal Somalia, where living Achatinas are frequent and the forest–savannah mosaic vegetation type [Bonnefille, R., 1985. Evolution of the continental vegetation: the palaeobotanical record from East Africa. South African Journal of Science 81, 267–270] is widespread. According to radiometric ages of Achatina shells and geological observations, aridification process probably took place in the Late Holocene. Somali data are consistent with the known regional climatic trends. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Artemia spp. is an historically popular biological model still requiring an official internationally based standardization. Several endpoints are currently available. Short-term acute endpoints include biomarker (acetylcholinesterase; heat stress proteins; lipid peroxidation; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; thioredoxin reductase; glutathione-peroxidase; glutathione S -transferase; glutathione reductase; aldehyde dehydrogenase; and adenylpyrophosphatase and Fluotox), hatching (dry biomass, morphological disorders and size), behavioral (swimming speed and path length), teratogenicity (growth), and immobilization (meaning mortality after 5–30 s observation). Long-term chronic tests focus on growth, reproduction and survival or mortality after 7–28 d exposure from larval to adulthood stage. We analyzed each test looking at its endpoint, toxicant and experimental design including replicates, exposure time, number of exposed cysts or organisms and their relative life stage, exposure conditions during hatching and testing (salinity, pH, light intensity, aeration dilution media, and food supply), type of testing chambers, and quality assurance and quality control criteria. Similarities and differences between the identified approaches were highlighted. Results evidenced that hatching 24 h short-term and 14 d long-term mortality are the most promising Artemia spp. protocols that should go forward with international standardization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is the use of [sup 14]C, sampled in leaves of evergreen species, as a natural geochemical marker to estimate the contribution of artificial sources (heating plants, vehicles, etc.) to the complex of atmospheric gases in an urban environment. Leaves were chosen due to sampling easiness and their reliability: in particular the evergreen species, being exposed all the year round to pollutants are especially indicated for bioindication and biomonitoring studies. The response to atmospheric pollutants has been studied of two plant species (Quercus ilex L., Pinus pinea L.) measuring isotopic ([sup 14]r, δ[sup 13]C), chemical (Pb concentration) and ecophysiological (gaseous exchange and leaf fluorescence of chlorophyll a) parameters. Leaves of holm-oaks and stone pine needles collected over a 3-year time span in an urban park in Rome (Villa Ada) and in reference localities outside the city on the Tyrrhenian coast and in the pre-Appennine area have been analysed. In Villa Ada measurements were carried out along a transect from the road bordering the park towards the interior: all the parameters, together in agreement, showed a decreasing pollution gradient towards the inner park. It was possible to estimate a 5.5±0.3% contribution of CO[sub 2] from fossil fuels close to the road, decreasing to 1.7±0.3% at < 300 m from it towards the inner park. The isotopic analyses conducted on stone pines and holm-oaks show that [sup 14]C provides indications on the degree of pollution from fossil fuels, while δ[sup 13]C appears to be conditioned mainly by the interspecific difference, and also by many other environmental factors that affect the plant functionality. Results confirmed that radiocarbon is a useful tool in environmental studies, allowing to quantify the contributions of CO[sub 2] of anthropic origin: this parameter, together with appropriate isotopic, chemical and ecophysiological analyses, could provide a good... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of isoleucine epimerization ratios in pelecypods (Glycymeris sp., Arca sp. and Cerastoderma sp.) and U-series dating of bivalves and Cladocora caespitosa sampled from different Late Pleistocene units in the Che´radi Islands and in the coastal areas of Mar Piccolo and Mar Grande near Taranto (Apulia region, Italy) are presented. U-series measurements on pelecypods and on corals directly associated with mollusc samples provide an independent calibration of amino acid data. The D/L ratios of isoleucine show a strong correlation with age, and thus may be considered as a predictive dating technique. This correlation also supports the reliability of U-series ages obtained for molluscs. These results, including the stratigraphic position, the lithological lateral continuity, the morphological evidence and the palaeontological characteristics of the various units, made it possible to attribute them to different marine trangressive phases referable to oxygen isotope stages (OIS) 5e–c, 5a and 3. No evidence of land emersion between OIS 5e and 5c has been found in the area. Pinkish/red sands deposits located above present sea level (∼1 m) have been referred to OIS 3. The Late Pleistocene morphological evolution and uplift of a complex area between the Apulian foreland and the Bradanic foredeep have been reconstructed. Due to the lack of incontestable indicators of past sea level stands the facies analysis has been performed on U-series dated 89.8 ka, OIS 5c shoreline north of Mar Piccolo and an uplift rate ranging from 0.21–0.27 mm/yr has been calculated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]