Analysis, occurrence, fate and behaviour of emerging micropollutants in wastewater and the receiving environment

The presence of xenobiotics - such as pharmaceutically active compounds, endocrine disrupting compounds and pesticides - in the aquatic environment has risen great environmental concern due to their high toxicity even at low concentrations. These so-called micropollutants have been detected in all aquatic compartments and are continuously entering the environment through via point and non-point sources. In particular, the removal of xenobiotics by means of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is known to be incomplete for several compounds, and more efforts are needed in this context. To tackle this problem, the European Union is updating its legislation. The Directive 2013/39/EU set environmental quality standards in freshwater for 76 priority substances, mainly heavy metals, traditional pesticides and industrial chemicals. With regards of the contaminants of emerging concern, 17 candidates for inclusion in the priority substances list have been included in a Watch list (EU Decision 2015/495). These compounds must be monitored by all member states to collect data on their occurrence in freshwater. Risk assessment will be performed as a decision-making tool to determine whether they pose a risk to or via the aquatic environment. This thesis aims at filling knowledge gaps on micropollutants and in particular on the Watch list compounds at three levels simultaneously: analytical, monitoring and removal possibilities.La presència de xenobiòtics, com ara productes farmacèutics, disruptors endocrins i pesticides, en el medi ambient aquàtic ha engendrat una gran preocupació ambiental degut a la seva elevada toxicitat, fins i tot a baixes concentracions. Aquests compostos, anomenats microcontaminants, s'han detectat en tots els compartiments aquàtics i entren al medi de manera continuada a través de fonts puntuals i no puntuals. En particular, se sap que l'eliminació de xenobiòtics en les plantes de tractament d'aigües residuals (EDAR) és incompleta i calen més esforços en aquest context. Per a solucionar aquest problema, la Unió Europea està actualitzant la seva legislació. La Directiva 2013/39 / UE va establir normes de qualitat ambiental en aigua dolça per a 76 substàncies prioritàries, principalment metalls pesants, pesticides tradicionals i productes químics industrials. Pel que fa als contaminants emergents, 17 compostos candidats a ser afegits a la llista de substàncies prioritàries han estat inclosos en una llista de vigilància (Watch list) (Decisió UE 2015/495). Aquests compostos han de ser monitoritzats per tots els estats membres per a recopilar dades sobre la seva presència en aigua dolça. Es durà a terme l’anàlisi de risc com a eina de presa de decisions per determinar si representen un risc per o a través del medi aquàtic. Aquesta tesi té com a objectiu principal omplir els buits de coneixement sobre microcontaminants i, en particular, sobre els compostos de la Watch list a tres nivells: anàlisi, monitorització i eliminació.Programa de Doctorat en Ciència i Tecnologia de l'Aigu

A fast and easy approach to the simulation of binary mixtures sorption kinetics

Diffusivity of a component in a binary mixture is affected by the presence of a second component. The knowledge of the influence on each other component diffusivity is very useful for the prediction of sorption kinetics of binary mixtures. In this work kinetic studies of Cr(VI) and Cu(II) binary mixtures sorption onto exhausted coffee encapsulated in calcium alginate beads were carried out in both bench and pilot scale experiments. The spectroscopic analysis evidenced the complexity of the process since different mechanisms such as adsorption, redox reaction and ion exchange are involved. Experimental data were fitted to the Linear Adsorption Model (LAM). An empirical quadratic model was developed to estimate LAM parameters (De) and α = Cf/(Ci − Cf) as a function of the initial concentration of metals in the mixture. The empirical model developed enables to estimate the LAM parameters (De and α) of metal ions binary mixtures provided that the initial concentration of the metal ions is included in the range of concentrations studied. The estimated parameters introduced in LAM equation allow simulating the corresponding binary mixtures sorption kinetics. This study constitutes a fast and easy approach to the modelling of sorption kinetics of complex systems in which different processes take place simultaneously

Nancy Alonso - Storia di una buca: Traduzione di Chiara Bussolini, Martina Gemelli e Giulia Gusmaroli in collaborazione con Rosa Maria Grillo

Nancy Alonso (L’Avana 1943 – 2018), biologa e docente universitaria. Scoprì la sua vocazione letteraria scrivendo lettere dall’Etiopia, dove si trovava in missione.  I suoi racconti, spesso ambientati nell’amatissima Avana, testimoniano il contesto socio-economico della Cuba contemporanea

Over-expression of the Arabidopsis AtMYB41 gene alters cell expansion and leaf surface permeability

The Arabidopsis AtMYB41 gene encodes an R2R3-MYB transcription factor whose expression is not detectable under normal growth conditions in any organ or at any developmental stage analysed. It is expressed at high levels in response to drought, ABA and salt treatments, suggesting a possible role in stress responses. Transgenic lines over-expressing this transcription factor showed a pleiotropic phenotype similar to that exhibited by some mutants that affect cuticle biosynthesis. This includes a dwarf appearance, dependent on smaller cells with abnormal morphology, enhanced sensitivity to desiccation, and enhanced permeability of leaf surfaces, suggesting discontinuity in the cuticle. The expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism and transport, in cell-wall modifications and cell expansion, genes coding for membrane-associated proteins and genes specifically involved in cuticle metabolism was differentially modulated between wild-type and transgenic plants, suggesting a direct or indirect role of AtMYB41 in the regulation of their transcription. Taken together, our results suggest that AtMYB41 is part of a complex network of transcription factors controlling cell expansion and cuticle deposition in response to abiotic stress

Homologous NF-YC2 Subunit from Arabidopsis and Tobacco Is Activated by Photooxidative Stress and Induces Flowering

The transcription factor NF-Y consists of the three subunits A, B and C, which are encoded in Arabidopsis in large gene families. The multiplicity of the genes implies that NF-Y may act in diverse combinations of each subunit for the transcriptional control. We aimed to assign a function in stress response and plant development to NF-YC subunits by analyzing the expression of NF-Y genes and exploitation of nf-y mutants. Among the subunit family, NF-YC2 showed the strongest inducibility towards oxidative stress, e.g. photodynamic, light, oxidative, heat and drought stress. A tobacco NF-YC homologous gene was found to be inducible by photooxidative stress generated by an accumulation of the tetrapyrrole metabolite, coproporphyrin. Despite the stress induction, an Arabidopsis nf-yc2 mutant and NF-YC2 overexpressors did not show phenotypical differences compared to wild-type seedlings in response to photooxidative stress. This can be explained by the compensatory potential of other members of the NF-YC family. However, NF-YC2 overexpression leads to an early flowering phenotype that is correlated with increased FLOWERING LOCUS T-transcript levels. It is proposed that NF-YC2 functions in floral induction and is a candidate gene among the NF-Y family for the transcriptional activation upon oxidative stress

Nature-based solutions as enablers of circularity in water systems: A review on assessment methodologies, tools and indicators

Water has been pushed into a linear model, which is increasingly acknowledged of causing cumulative emissions of pollutants, waste stocks, and impacting on the irreversible deterioration of water and other resources. Moving towards a circular model in the water sector, the configuration of future water infrastructure changes through the integration of grey and green infrastructure, forming Nature-based Solutions (NBS) as an integral component that connects human-managed to nature-managed water systems. In this study, a thorough appraisal of the latest literature is conducted, providing an overview of the existing tools, methodologies and indicators that have been used to assess NBS for water management, as well as complete water systems considering the need of assessing both anthropogenic and natural elements. Furthermore, facilitators and barriers with respect to existing policies and regulations on NBS and circularity have been identified. The study concludes that the co-benefits of NBS for water management are not adequately assessed. A holistic methodology assessing complete water systems from a circularity perspective is still needed integrating existing tools (i.e. hydro-biogeochemical models), methods (i.e. MFA-based and LCA) and incorporating existing and/or newly-developed indicators.Horizon 2020 research and innovation program; CERCA program; Slovenian Research Agenc

Long-term disease stability with bicalutamide in a man with aggressive angiomyxoma: case report and state of art

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AA) is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm, which is commonly diagnosed in females and located in the perineal and pelvic region. Tissue specimens of AA patients often show positivity for estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR), while some cases of androgen receptor (AR) positivity have been reported in males. When feasible, surgical excision represent the most effective treatment of AA; however, when experiencing advanced or recurrent disease, local disease control could be achieved with systemic hormonal treatment. To date, evidence regarding AA management in male patients is scarce, and only a few cases have been reported in literature. Hereby, we describe the case of a 59-year-old-man suffering from perineal AA with positivity for androgen receptors (AR) showing a long-lasting disease stability during the treatment with an AR-blocking drug (bicalutamide). A literature review regarding the state of art of AA management with a particular look to male patients is also provided

Neurospora COP9 Signalosome Integrity Plays Major Roles for Hyphal Growth, Conidial Development, and Circadian Function

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a highly conserved multifunctional complex that has two major biochemical roles: cleaving NEDD8 from cullin proteins and maintaining the stability of CRL components. We used mutation analysis to confirm that the JAMM domain of the CSN-5 subunit is responsible for NEDD8 cleavage from cullin proteins in Neurospora crassa. Point mutations of key residues in the metal-binding motif (EXnHXHX10D) of the CSN-5 JAMM domain disrupted CSN deneddylation activity without interfering with assembly of the CSN complex or interactions between CSN and cullin proteins. Surprisingly, CSN-5 with a mutated JAMM domain partially rescued the phenotypic defects observed in a csn-5 mutant. We found that, even without its deneddylation activity, the CSN can partially maintain the stability of the SCFFWD-1 complex and partially restore the degradation of the circadian clock protein FREQUENCY (FRQ) in vivo. Furthermore, we showed that CSN containing mutant CSN-5 efficiently prevents degradation of the substrate receptors of CRLs. Finally, we found that deletion of the CAND1 ortholog in N. crassa had little effect on the conidiation circadian rhythm. Our results suggest that CSN integrity plays major roles in hyphal growth, conidial development, and circadian function in N. crassa

NF-Y recruitment of TFIID, multiple interactions with histone fold TAF(II)s

The nuclear factor y (NF-Y) trimer and TFIID contain histone fold subunits, and their binding to the CCAAT and Initiator elements of the major histocompatibility complex class II Ea promoter is required for transcriptional activation. Using agarose-electrophoretic mobility shift assay we found that NF-Y increases the affinity of holo-TFIID for Ea in a CCAAT- and Inr-dependent manner. We began to dissect the interplay between NF-Y- and TBP-associated factors PO1II (TAF(II)s)-containing histone fold domains in protein-protein interactions and transfections. hTAF(II)20, hTAF(II)28, and hTAF(II)18-hTAF(II)28 bind to the NF-Y B-NF-YC histone fold dimer; hTAF(II)80 and hTAF(II)31-hTAF(II)80 interact with the trimer but not with the NF-YB-NF-YC dimer. The histone fold alpha2 helix of hTAF(II)80 is not required for NF-Y association, as determined by interactions with the naturally occurring splice variant hTAF(II)80delta. Expression of hTAF(II)28 and hTAF(II)18 in mouse cells significantly and specifically reduced NF-Y activation in GAL4-based experiments, whereas hTAF,120 and hTAF(II)135 increased it. These results indicate that NF-Y (i) recruits purified holo-TFIID in vitro and (ii) can associate multiple TAF(II)s, potentially accommodating different core promoter architectures