Metabolički i genski poremećaji – pregled mehanizama toksičnosti i genotoksičnosti arsena i olova

Urbanisation and industrialisation are on the rise all over the world. Environmental contaminants such as potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are directly linked with both phenomena. Two PTEs that raise greatest concern are arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) as soil and drinking water contaminants, whether they are naturally occurring or the consequence of human activities. Both elements are potential carcinogens. This paper reviews the mechanisms by which As and Pb impair metabolic processes and cause genetic damage in humans. Despite efforts to ban or limit their use, due to high persistence both continue to pose a risk to human health, which justifies the need for further toxicological research.Urbanizacija i industrijalizacija su u porastu u cijelome svijetu. S obama ovim fenomenima izravno su povezana zagađivala iz okoliša, poput potencijalno toksičnih elemenata (PTE). Dva elementa koja izazivaju najveću zabrinutost su arsen (As) i olovo (Pb) u tlu i vodi, bilo da su tamo došli prirodnim putem ili zbog ljudske djelatnosti. Oba su i potencijalno kancerogena. U ovom preglednom radu razmatraju se mehanizmi kojima As i Pb ugrožavaju metaboličke procese i izazivaju oštećenja genoma. Unatoč zabranama i naporima da se ograniči njihovo korištenje, oba su elementa perzistentna u okolišu i predstavljaju rizik za ljudsko zdravlje, zbog čega je potrebno nastaviti s njihovim toksikološkim istraživanjima

Can isotopes be used as lead tracers in shooting-range soils?

Lead isotopes have been widely used to assess the sources of Pb in the soil environment since lead isotopes ratios have a specific signature that allows us to use them as environmental tracers. However, some lead sources are difficult to be identified. This article contains the lead isotope data from soils and shot pellets collected in an abandoned shooting range (NW Spain). Twelve soil and three-shot pellet samples were randomly collected and analyzed using MC-ICP-MS. The isotope ratios are shown, and analyses proved that Pb originated predominantly from the used shot pellets. Contaminated soils exhibited an isotopic composition (206Pb/207Pb, 208Pb/204Pb, 206Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/206Pb) close to some shot pellets from different manufacturers. These results offer new, valuable data for other researchers working on lead contamination research and the identification sources of Pb for adjacent areas to shooting-range facilities and for wildlife ecotoxicology. Still, the use of several ammunitions derived from different sources, such as recycled Pb, showed that it is hard to identify the lead source and these kinds of facilities.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CGL2013-45494-RFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia | Ref. UIDB/04423/2020Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia | Ref. UIDP/04423/2020Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia | Ref. CEECIND/03794/2017Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. IJC2020-044197-

Archaeobotanical analysis in sedimentation deposits of Roman and Medieval pits in caves of NW Iberia. Cova do Xato and Cova Eirós (Lugo, Galicia, Spain)

The charcoal analysis results of the firewood consumption, as well as the carpological ones of seeds and fruits, in two caves with roman and medieval levels located in the eastern part of the Lugo province (Galicia), NW Iberia, are analyzed. The results arise from the anthropic exploitation of occasional or permanent sites situated in not very populated areasOcupaciones humanas durante el Pleistoceno en la cuenca media del Miño (HUM/2007-63662), and Poblamiento durante el Pleistoceno Medio/Holoceno en las comarcas orientales de Galicia (HAR2010-21786). Ministerio de Ciencia e InnovaciónS

Chemical availability versus bioavailability of potentially toxic elements in mining and quarry soils

Abandoned mining and quarry areas are sources of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), through lixiviates or transfer processes of bioavailable fractions from mining wastes and tailings. In this study, earthworms (Eisenia fetida Savigny, 1826) were exposed for 28 days to two mining soils from a lead/zinc mine and two quarry soils from an old serpentine quarry. Despite their pseudo total metal contents, a previous characterization of these soils pointed out for a low chemical availability of PTEs. Therefore, a multibiomarker approach was used and the response of E. fetida to soils was assessed through the analysis of neurotoxic, oxidative stress, energy metabolism and DNA damage biomarkers (acetylcholinesterase, catalase, glutathione-s-transferase, lactate dehydrogenase, lipid peroxidation and DNA strand breaks). Metal bioaccumulation was also assessed to evaluate bioavailability and organism's exposure. Results showed that high contents of PTEs were recorded in the whole body of earthworms exposed to lead/zinc mine. However, the bioaccumulation factors for worms exposed to soils from both sampling sites were <1 due to the high PTEs contents in soils. Earthworms exposed to both types of soils displayed neurotoxic and energy metabolism effects. However, significant levels of oxidative stress and DNA damage were recorded only for earthworms exposed to lead/zinc mine soils. This study demonstrated that despite the low availability of PTEs showed by previous sequential chemical extractions, the results obtained from the direct toxicity assessment performed in this study, highlight the importance of a multibiomarker approach using soil organisms to provide a better evaluation of soils pollution.publishe

Valorization of forest by-products as bio-adsorbents for emerging contaminants

The use of forest by-products as bio-adsorbents allows the recycling of these materials and could reduce the risks of environmental pollution due to different contaminants. This study focuses on the adsorption and release of three antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin and trimethoprim) on pine and oak bark materials and how pHinfluences in these processes. The results showed that the highest adsorption potential corresponds to pine bark, where the Freundlich affinity coefficient varies between 126.6 and 2979.1 Ln µmol1− n kg− 1, while, for oak bark, between 283.9 and 806.9 Ln µmol1− n kg− 1. Both bio-adsorbents show some influence of the pH affectingadsorption. Of the three antibiotics, clarithromycin was the most mobile. In general, both by-products gave satisfactory results as bio-adsorbents for the antibiotics tested. Therefore, their potential use as decontaminants could help to face environmental issues due to these emerging pollutants, reducing human and ecological risk, while contributing to a zero-waste economy.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. RTI2018-099574-B-C21Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. RTI2018- 099574-B-C22Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2021/46-GCRXunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481B-2022-081Ministerio de Universidades | Ref. FPU19/03758Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. IJC2020- 044426-IAgencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. IJC2020-044197-IUniversidade de Vigo/CISU

Clarithromycin as soil and environmental pollutant: Adsorption-desorption processes and influence of pH

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGAntibiotics pollution is a growing environmental issue, as high amounts of these compounds are found in soil, water and sediments. This work studies the adsorption/desorption of the macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin (CLA) for 17 agricultural soils with different edaphic characteristics. The research was carried out using batch-type experiments, with an additional assessment of the specific influence of pH for 6 of the soils. The results show that CLA adsorption reaches between 26 and 95%. In addition, the fit of the experimental data to adsorption models provided values between 1.9 and 19.7 Ln μmol1−n kg−1 for the KF, Freundlich affinity coefficient, and between 2.5 and 10.5 L kg−1 for Kd, distribution constant of Linear model. Regarding the linearity index, n, it varied between 0.56 and 1.34. Desorption showed lower scores than adsorption, with an average of 20%, and with values of 3.1 and 93.0 Ln μmol1−n kg−1 for KF(des) and 4.4 and 95.0 L kg−1 for Kd(des). The edaphic characteristics with the highest influence on adsorption were the silt fraction content and the exchangeable Ca content, while in the case of desorption, they were the total nitrogen, organic carbon, and exchangeable Ca and Mg contents. Regarding the pH, within the range studied (between 3 and 10), its value did not decisively affect the adsorption/desorption process. Overall, the set of these results could be of help to program appropriate measures leading to the retention/elimination of this antibiotic when it reaches the environment as a pollutant.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacción y Universidades | Ref. RTI2018-099574-B-C21Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C2021/46-GCRMinisterio de Universidades | Ref. FPU19/03758Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481B-2022-081Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. | Ref. IJC2020- 044197-IUniversidade de Vigo/CISUGMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovacción y Universidades | Ref. RTI2018-099574-B-C2

Forest resource management during Roman and Medieval cave occupations in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula: Cova do Xato and Cova Eirós (Galicia, Spain)

References to the existence of historic remains in NW Iberian caves are frequent. However, archaeological research tends to focus on the search for evidence of older occupations, with little attention given to these historic levels. The aim of this article is to present the results of archaeobotanical analysis (charcoal analysis and carpology) from two caves in the eastern mountains of the province of Lugo – Cova do Xato and Cova Eirós – to determine the management of forest resources by the different communities living in themThis work was funded by the projects Human settlements during the Pleistocene period in the middle basin of the river Miño (HUM/2007-63662), Settlements during the Middle Pleistocene/Holocene in the eastern regions of Galicia (HAR2010-21786) and Design and development of a data model for an archaeological SPI during the Galician Iron Age (09SEC002CT). ALH has been supported by a pre-doctoral grant from the Atapuerca FoundationS

Harnessing photosynthetic microorganisms for enhanced bioremediation of microplastics: A comprehensive review

© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2024.100407Mismanaged plastics, upon entering the environment, undergo degradation through physicochemical and/or biological processes. This process often results in the formation of microplastics (MPs), the most prevalent form of plastic debris (<1 mm). MPs pose severe threats to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, necessitating innovative strategies for effective remediation. Some photosynthetic microorganisms can degrade MPs but there lacks a comprehensive review. Here we examine the specific role of photoautotrophic microorganisms in water and soil environments for the biodegradation of plastics, focussing on their unique ability to grow persistently on diverse polymers under sunlight. Notably, these cells utilise light and CO2 to produce valuable compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, showcasing their multifaceted environmental benefits. We address key scientific questions surrounding the utilisation of photosynthetic microorganisms for MPs and nanoplastics (NPs) bioremediation, discussing potential engineering strategies for enhanced efficacy. Our review highlights the significance of alternative biomaterials and the exploration of strains expressing enzymes, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hydrolases, in conjunction with microalgal and/or cyanobacterial metabolisms. Furthermore, we delve into the promising potential of photo-biocatalytic approaches, emphasising the coupling of plastic debris degradation with sunlight exposure. The integration of microalgal-bacterial consortia is explored for biotechnological applications against MPs and NPs pollution, showcasing the synergistic effects in wastewater treatment through the absorption of nitrogen, heavy metals, phosphorous, and carbon. In conclusion, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on the use of photoautotrophic cells for plastic bioremediation. It underscores the need for continued investigation into the engineering of these microorganisms and the development of innovative approaches to tackle the global issue of plastic pollution in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.The authors acknowledge the financial support by the University of Graz (Open Access Publishing Agreement). ARS would like to acknowledge the support given through ED431C2021/46-GRC attributed to Universidade de Vigo by Xunta de Galicia and IJC2020-044197-I through the Universidade de Vigo, MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union through “Next- GenerationEU/PRTR”. This article/publication is based upon work from COST Action CA20101 Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY - PRIORITY, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), www.cost.eu. This work was partially supported the University of Wolverhampton Research Investment Fund (RIF4).Accepted versio

Microplastics in Agricultural Soils

International audienc

Potentially Toxic Element Content in Arid Agricultural Soils in South Iran

Potentially toxic elements (PTE) are considered to be dangerous threats, both for human health and the environment. Here, the contamination level, sources, and ecological risks posed by PTE were investigated in 19 topsoils from agricultural lands in the Bandar Abbas County on the southern coast of Iran. The soil fraction &lt;63 &mu;m was used for the analysis of the pseudototal contents of PTE (arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, vanadium, and zinc). The results were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson&rsquo;s correlations, different pollution indices [enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (Cf), and modified degree of contamination (mCd), and the potential ecological risk index (PERI). The results of the pollution indices showed that the contamination levels of the studied agricultural soils are low to moderate, while the average PERI values indicate that the ecological risks of PTE range from low to high in the soils of the studied area. Correlations and PCA analyses suggest that studied elements have three possible origins: geogenic (chromium, cobalt, copper, manganese, vanadium, and zinc), anthropogenic (cadmium, nickel, phosphorus and lead) and atmospheric (arsenic) sources. These findings are helpful for the long-term assessment of PTE in the Bandar Abbas County