The impact of former mining activity on soils and plants in the vicinity of an old mercury mine (Vallalta, Belluno, NE Italy)

Exploitation of ore minerals (cinnabar, chalcopyrite, sphalerite) from the old mine in Vallalta (Belluno, NE Italy) has resulted in serious environmental impacts, including the acidification of water, and the contamination of soils and plants. Forty-eight soil samples and four wild plants were examined at four sites in the vicinity of the mine ( Micronutrients Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn showed translocation factors (TFs) of between 0.5 and 1, suggesting that these elements are taken up to a critical concentration and are then arrested in the roots. Iron is less mobile, particularly in C. hirsutum, with the lowest TF of 0.38. The TF for Mn and Hg is >1 in S. nemorum and C. hirsutum; a TF of Soil contamination is confined to the proximity

Toxicity Assessment of Contaminated Soils from a Mining Area in Northeast Italy by Using Lipid Peroxidation Assay.

Contamination by heavy metals in soils may strongly affect the environmental quality. Lipid peroxidation caused by heavy metals in plants was investigated as a relevant bioassay of toxicity. Soils and wild plants (dandelion and willow) were collected from an abandoned mine area in northeast Italy, and the concentration of different heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe and Mn) were measured and analyzed. Soils affected by mining activities presented total Zn, Cu, and Pb concentrations (2566, 3975, 20,815 mg kg−1 respectively) above toxic thresholds, and 58% for Fe. Heavy metal-induced oxidative stress was evidenced by the generation of reactive radicals, followed by an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) production up to 41.64 μM in willow leaves. We found that MDA concentration in plant tissues differed significantly among species and plant organs. The higher concentration of metal in soil corresponded with the higher concentration of MDA in the plant. The combined results of metal concentration, MDA content and translocation coefficients in plants show that the investigated plants are rather highly tolerant towards environmental pollution. This suggests that they could be useful in phytoremediation of metal contaminated sites

Harnessing Garlic Extract and AI for Sustainable Disease Mitigation in Aquaculture

This comprehensive study delves into alternative and sustainable disease management in aquaculture, particularly in cultured rabbitfish (Siganus rivulatus) susceptible to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Acknowledging the vulnerabilities in conventional veterinary medications and the need for rapid diagnosis, the research investigates the use of raw garlic extract as a dietary supplement alongside machine learning-based diagnostic methodologies. Using histo-biochemical analyses, the study finds that fish treated with garlic extract showed significant resistance to infection without visible signs of lethality. Furthermore, machine learning classifiers achieved an accuracy rate of 97.2% in distinguishing healthy and infected fish. The study thus provides evidence for garlic's potential role as a sustainable antimicrobial agent, and machine learning's efficacy for rapid, accurate diagnosis

Seagrass as a Bioindicator for Heavy Metal Pollution in Semi-Enclosed Marine Ecosystems

This study delves into utilizing Seagrass as a bioindicator for heavy metal detection in semi-enclosed marine ecosystems, with a specific focus on the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. The research evaluates the relationship between human activities and the responses of marine organisms, employing the seagrass species Halophila stipulacea as a key subject. This research examines the ability of seagrass to sense and respond to environmental changes, particularly in terms of trace metal accumulation. These accumulations serve as indicators of the marine environment's health and the extent of human impact. Observations revealed differences in trace metal concentrations across three distinct habitats. Notably, varying levels of Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) were found in seagrass leaves, while Copper (Cu) and Iron (Fe) were more prevalent in roots. Increased concentrations of Malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of environmental stress as indicated by lipid peroxidation (LPO), point to a potential link between human activities, such as boating, and the health of seagrass. These findings underscore the complex interactions between marine biology, environmental management, and the innate abilities of organisms to perceive and adapt to changes in their environment. The study bridges the gap in understanding organismal responses to environmental changes and emphasizes the need for ongoing research. Such research is crucial to comprehend the broader effects of environmental shifts on marine life. By continuously monitoring trace metal levels and understanding the responses of seagrass over time, this study lays the groundwork for innovative conservation and management strategies. These strategies are aimed at protecting vital marine environments from the growing impacts of human disturbances

Assess the environmental health status of macrophyte ecosystems using an oxidative stress biomarker. Case studies: The Gulf of Aqaba and the Lagoon of Venice

Abstract The aim of this work was to evaluate the implementation of the oxidative stress biomarker (LPO) for the assessment and monitoring of the ecological status of macrophyte in relation to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the Gulf of Aqaba (Jordan) and the Lagoon of Venice (Italy). Results showed that the anthropic influences related to PTEs of the examined areas are evident. Moreover, changes in the LPO levels can precede significant changes in ecological health status of macrophyte ecosystems that can be used in the future as an early warning tool for the assessment and monitoring of polluted ecosystems worldwide

Metal bioaccumulation and oxidative stress in ulva laetevirens in the venice lagoon: Early warning biomarker for metal bioaccumulation

Transitional water systems (TWSs) may be threatened by various metals originating from increased agricultural, industrial activities, or urban effluents. Macroalgae are one of the biological quality elements used to monitor and assess the health status of TWS due to their structural and functional key role in marine ecosystems. Here, metal accumulation from the macroalgae Ulva laetevirens Areschoug (1854) and oxidative stress by lipid peroxidation (LPO) biomarker were investigated during four sampling seasons from three sampling sites (SMM: Santa Maria del Mare; PM: Porto Marghera; SG: San Giuliano) of Venice Lagoon, affected by different anthropogenic stressors. The metal pollution index (MPI) scores for U. laetevirens increased in the order SMM < PM < SG (sea inlet < industrial area < Osellino River estuary), with average values per site of 2.99, 4.37, and 6.33, respectively. The level of LPO was statistically correlated with the concentration of toxic metal(loid)s (As, Pb, Hg) measured in macroalgae, and seasonality affected both levels of LPO and metal bioaccumulation, with peak values during spring and summer. These findings highlighted the efficiency and usefulness of the oxidative stress test (LPO) on the common macroalga U. laetevirens as an early warning signal for health assessment in aquatic ecosystems

Hazardous effects of silver nanoparticles for primary producers in transitional water systems: The case of the seaweed Ulva rigida C. Agardh

Abstract The acute toxicity of citrate capped silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and silver nitrate was evaluated on the marine macroalga Ulva rigida C. Agardh (1823). Silver bioaccumulation, ultrastructural chloroplast damages verified by TEM microscopy, inhibition of primary production, neutral lipid production and oxidative stress were observed after 24 h of exposure to AgNP. The toxic effects of silver nitrate in artificial seawater started from a concentration of 0.05 ppm and was more toxic than AgNP that produced effects from a concentration of 0.1 ppm. However only AgNP induced lipid peroxidation in U. rigida. The addition of natural organic and inorganic ligands, represented by transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and clay, drastically reduced AgNP acute toxicity in a ratio AgNP:ligand of 1:100 and 1:200, respectively. The findings suggest a marked toxicity of Ag on marine macroalgae which however should be mitigated by the high natural ligand concentrations of the transitional environments

Diversity and dynamics of seaweed associated microbial communities inhabiting the lagoon of venice

Seaweeds are a group of essential photosynthetic organisms that harbor a rich diversity of associated microbial communities with substantial functions related to host health and defense. Environmental and anthropogenic stressors may disrupt the microbial communities and their metabolic activity, leading to host physiological alterations that negatively affect seaweeds’ performance and survival. Here, the bacterial communities associated with one of the most common seaweed, Ulva laetevirens Areshough, were sampled over a year at three sites of the lagoon of Venice affected by different environmental and anthropogenic stressors. Bacterial communities were characterized through Illumina sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA genes. The study demonstrated that the seaweed associated bacterial communities at sites impacted by environmental stressors were host-specific and differed significantly from the less affected site. Furthermore, these communities were significantly distinct from those of the surrounding seawater. The bacterial communities’ composition was significantly correlated with environmental parameters (nutrient concentrations, dissolved oxygen saturation, and pH) across sites. This study showed that several more abundant bacteria on U. laetevirens at stressed sites belonged to taxa related to the host response to the stressors. Overall, environmental parameters and anthropogenic stressors were shown to substantially affect seaweed associated bacterial communities, which reflect the host response to environmental variations

Heavy metals accumulation in willows growing on Spolic Technosols from the abandoned Imperina Valley mine in Italy

Human activities such as metals mining and milling operations provide one of the most important sources of contamination in the environment. Abandoned mines can be an important source of toxic elements. The threat of heavy metal pollution posed by mine soils generally concerns more than one metal. The aim of this study was to assess total concentration of six potentially toxic metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn and Fe) in the soil and plant samples of three dominant willow species (Salix purpurea L., Salix caprea L. and Salix eleagnos Scop.) collected from abandoned mixed sulphide mine dumps (Imperina Valley, North-east Italy).Results demonstrate that metal concentrations in soils are in general above the Italian average limits and they are also significantly (except Cr), as compared with controls (p≤0.05), with averages of 2.12mgCdkg-1, 2267mgCukg-1, 9552mgPbkg-1, 1243mgZnkg-1 and 299,973mgFekg-1. The phytoremediation ability of selected Salix species for heavy metals was estimated. The results have revealed significant differences among willow species (p. ≤. 0.05) regardless of the species selected. The transfer factor and bioaccumulation coefficient of selected metals varied among plant species and from different sites. Some of the investigated species have potential for soil stabilization and extraction of heavy metals. The results indicate that there is an increasing need for further research projects mainly focused on the mechanisms whereby such willows are able to survive in contaminated soil