Chapter Pyrgi: analysis of possible climatic effects on a coastal archaeological site

This work refers to an interdisciplinary study on the archaeological site of Pyrgi, an Etruscan harbour still under excavation, located on the Lazio’s coast in Santa Severa, in the province of Rome. The objective of the research is to assess the main cause of the floods and the time the water stays in the site to determine if the floods are periodic phenomena over time or random events for guarantee a correct conservation of the site . The study is based on the combined use of geomatic technologies, meteorological and climatic models, and hydrogeological knowledge

Pyrgi. Analysis of possible climatic effects on a coastal archaeological site

This work refers to an interdisciplinary study on the archaeological site of Pyrgi, an Etruscan harbour still under excavation, located on the Lazio’s coast in Santa Severa, in the province of Rome. The site in question is subject to frequent flooding which compromises its accessibility and delays the archaeological excavation operations. The study is based on the combined use of geomatic technologies, meteorological and climatic models, and hydrogeological knowledge of the examined site, to have a global view of the hazard to which it is exposed. Different geomatic techniques at different scales are used in the analysis. Large scale surveys are carried out to define the water networks and to monitor the site using satellite images. On a small scale, drone photogrammetry techniques are used to assess the morphology of the territory and eventual protection from natural hazards present in the site. Using these images, a detailed digital surface model (DSM) has been generated. The objective of the research is to assess the main cause of the floods and the time the water stays in the site and to determine if the floods are periodic phenomena over time or random events. The study was conducted using images captured by Sentinel 2 satellites processed at level 2-A. These images enabled the identification of the flooding periods of the site for the years of monitoring. The study was conducted by comparing the captured images with rainfall data, paying attention to extreme weather phenomena that occurred from 2012 to date. The rainfall data are provided by the National Department of Civil Protection to CNR-ISAC by an agreement between the two institutions. The same images have been compared with the wind data recorded by the anemometer located in the Civitavecchia harbour and the wave height data available from ERA5 reanalysis. Knowledge of the main cause of the floods and a possible periodicity will allow to plan correct conservation of the site through specific protection measures designed according to the hazards to which it is exposed

Levels and chemical speciation of arsenic in polychaetes: a review

Article first published online: 9 DEC 2005Relatively few studies have characterized basal content and variability of arsenic in polychaetes, despite the potential importance of this element as a pollutant of marine environments. Even less have investigated the chemical speciation of arsenic, occurring as inorganic and organic forms, which reflect a different biological reactivity of the element. In the present paper we integrate existing literature with new data in order to summarize the status quo on arsenic bioaccumulation in polychaetes. We consider species with different trophic habits, phylogenetic relationships, geographic distribution and ecology. Reported data indicate a high variability in arsenic concentration with levels ranging from <1 μg·g−1 to more than 2500 μg·g−1 in different species; some additional species analyzed in this work confirm species-specific characteristics which are not easily explained by biological or ecological factors. The profile of arsenic compounds in polychaetes is different to that of most aquatic organisms. Typically this element occurs in non-toxic organic forms, however several polychaete species have been shown to accumulate relatively toxic molecules and subsequently biotransform them by processes such as methylation. Conclusions from the literature review reveal a complex array of arsenic actions in the environment and suggest a biological role of this element in the life history of some polychaete species.Daniele Fattorini, Alessandra Notti, Magdalena N. Halt, Maria Cristina Gambi and Francesco Regol

Biomonitoring of arsenic through mangrove oyster (Crassostrea corteziensis Hertlein, 1951) from coastal lagoons (SE Gulf of California): occurrence of arsenobetaine and other arseno-compounds.

In this study, we examined the bioavailability of arsenic through the mangrove oyster Crassostrea corteziensis sampled from seven coastal lagoons in SE Gulf of California during the rainy and dry seasons. As concentrations in soft tissue of oysters C. corteziensis fluctuated between 5.2 and 11.6 μg/g on dry weight; organisms from the control site presented the lowest As concentrations in the two sampling seasons. As speciation was evaluated in selected samples and indicated that arsenobetaine was the major arseno-compound accounting for 53.5–74.7 % of total As. Lower percentage contributions were obtained for nonextractable As (9.7–25.5 %) and other molecules such as arsenocholine and methyl-arsonate (<5 %). Inorganic As was detectable in only two samples, at concentrations lower than 0.1 μg/g. These As data are the first generated in NW Mexico and indicate that C. corteziensis is safe for human consumption in terms of arseno-compounds. It is evident that As bioavailability in these lagoons is low

Antioxidant responses in the nereidid Laeonereis acuta (Annelida, Polychaeta) after cadmium exposure

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the exposure to cadmium on the antioxidant responses in the polychaeta Laeonereis acuta. The worms were submitted to 0, 5, and 100 mg of Cd/L during a period of test of 7 days. Cadmium was significantly (po0.05) accumulated in L. acuta in both concentrations assayed, but the concentration of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS)increased (po0.05) only in the group submitted to the highest concentration of cadmium (100 mg/L). At this concentration, a decrease in the activity of the superoxide dismutase and an increase of glutathione-S-transferase activity (po0.05) was observed. The levels of both lipid peroxides and the activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase were not affected (p40.05) by the exposition to cadmium. Thus,cadmium can augment RONS levels and can interfere with the antioxidant defense system of the polychaete L. acuta, although cadmium does not directly induce oxidative stress unlike copper and iron

Pro-oxidant effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields in the land snail Helix aspersa

Pro-oxidant effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) 50-Hz magnetic fields were investigated in the land snail Helix aspersa exposed both in short-term laboratory treatments and under field conditions by maintaining the organisms in the proximity of a power line for up to 2 months. Oxidative perturbations were investigated as individual antioxidants (catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferases, and total glutathione) and total scavenging capacity toward peroxyl radicals and hydroxyl radicals. Accumulation of lipid peroxidation products, destabilization of lysosomal membranes, and loss of DNA integrity were also evaluated as markers of cell damage. The overall results indicated an oxidative challenge caused by ELF magnetic fields with particularly prompt and sensitive responses for catatase, glutathione reductase, and the overall capability to neutralize peroxyl radicals. Cell injuries occurred to different extents according to duration and intensity of electromagnetic exposure and confirmed complex cause-effect relationships between pro-oxidant factors, efficiency of antioxidant defenses, and the onset of oxidative toxicity. This study highlights the importance of a multimarker approach for detecting a wide panel of biological responses, the necessity of investigating the long-term effects of early oxidative responses, and the role of ELF in enhancing susceptibility to other forms of pathologies or diseases

Chapter Pyrgi: analysis of possible climatic effects on a coastal archaeological site

This work refers to an interdisciplinary study on the archaeological site of Pyrgi, an Etruscan harbour still under excavation, located on the Lazio’s coast in Santa Severa, in the province of Rome. The objective of the research is to assess the main cause of the floods and the time the water stays in the site to determine if the floods are periodic phenomena over time or random events for guarantee a correct conservation of the site . The study is based on the combined use of geomatic technologies, meteorological and climatic models, and hydrogeological knowledge

Toxicological responses in Laeonereis acuta (Annelida, Polychaeta) after arsenic exposure

Several environmental pollutants, including metals, can induce oxidative stress. So, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of arsenic (AsIII, as As2O3) on the antioxidant responses in the polychaete Laeonereis acuta. Worms were exposed to two environmentally relevant concentrations of As, including the highest previously allowed by Brazilian legislation (50 μg As/l). A control group was kept in saline water(10‰) without added metal. It was observed that: (1) a peak concentration of lipid peroxide was registered after 2 days of exposure to 50 μg As/l (61±3.2 nmol CHP/g wet weight)compared to the control group (43±4.5 nmol CHP/g wet weight), together with a lowering of the activity of the antioxidant enzyme catalase (−47 and −48%, at 50 or 500 μg As/l respectively) and a higher superoxide dismutase activity (+305% at 50 μg As/l with respect to the control group); (2) a lower conjugation capacity through glutathione-S-transferase activity was observed after 7 days of exposure to 50 μg As/l (−48% compared to the control group); (3) a significant increase in As concentration was verified after 1 week of exposure to both As concentrations 50 and 500 μg/l); (4) worms exposed to As showed a limited accumulation of related methylated As species and the levels of non-toxic As species like arsenobetaine (AsB) and arsenocholine (AsC) remained unchanged during the exposure period when compared with the controls. Overall, it can be concluded that As interfered in the antioxidant defense system of L. acuta, even at low concentrations (50 μg/l)that Brazilian legislation previously considered safe. The fact that worms exposed to As showed high levels of methylated As species indicates the methylation capability of L. acuta, although the high levels of inorganic As suggest that not all the administered AsIII (as As2O3) is completely removed or biotransformed after 7 days of exposure