Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events.

BACKGROUND: Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease in preclinical studies. Direct evidence that this risk extends to humans is lacking. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, observational study involving patients who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease. The excised carotid plaque specimens were analyzed for the presence of MNPs with the use of pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, stable isotope analysis, and electron microscopy. Inflammatory biomarkers were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical assay. The primary end point was a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause among patients who had evidence of MNPs in plaque as compared with patients with plaque that showed no evidence of MNPs. RESULTS: A total of 304 patients were enrolled in the study, and 257 completed a mean (±SD) follow-up of 33.7±6.9 months. Polyethylene was detected in carotid artery plaque of 150 patients (58.4%), with a mean level of 21.7±24.5 µg per milligram of plaque; 31 patients (12.1%) also had measurable amounts of polyvinyl chloride, with a mean level of 5.2±2.4 µg per milligram of plaque. Electron microscopy revealed visible, jagged-edged foreign particles among plaque macrophages and scattered in the external debris. Radiographic examination showed that some of these particles included chlorine. Patients in whom MNPs were detected within the atheroma were at higher risk for a primary end-point event than those in whom these substances were not detected (hazard ratio, 4.53; 95% confidence interval, 2.00 to 10.27; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients with carotid artery plaque in which MNPs were detected had a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected. (Funded by Programmi di Ricerca Scientifica di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05900947.).

Cultivation of the Acidophilic Microalgae Galdieria phlegrea with Wastewater: Process Yields.

Algal based wastewater treatment offers the opportunity to recover, in the form of biomass, the nutrients and internal chemical energy of wastewater. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the use of extremophilic microalgae, as they can easily adapt to difficult and often pollutant-rich environments. The thermo-acidophilic microalga Galdieria phlegrea is a species of recent discovery and great metabolic versatility, but it has still been poorly studied. Here, G. phlegrea was cultivated using raw municipal wastewater in 1 L Erlenmeyer flasks with 700 mL working volume at 37 °C for up to nine days. During the cultivation phase, biomass growth, phycocyanin content, ammonium and phosphate removal from the wastewater, lipid fraction, total carbon and nitrogen in the biomass, and variation in δ13C and δ15N isotopic ratios (a novel analytical contribution in these experiments) were monitored. Results indicated that G. phlegrea was able to grow in raw effluent, where it removed more than 50% ammonium and 20% phosphate in 24 h; total lipid content was in the range of 11-22%, while average C-N content was of 45% and 6%, respectively; isotopic analyses proved to be a useful support in identifying C and N metabolic pathways from effluent to biomass. Overall, G. phlegrea showed consistent performance with similar Cyanidiophyceae and is a potentially viable candidate for municipal wastewater valorization from a circular economy perspective.

Traceability of 'Mozzarella di Bufala Campana' production chain by means of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen stable isotope ratios.

BACKGROUND: New techniques are required to guarantee the authenticity of food, especially for PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) trademarks. The genuineness of a product is directly related to the raw material and to the production process used. In this article, the traceability of the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO was investigated, using carbon, nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes ratios, measured on buffalo feeding, milk and mozzarella, from Caserta and Salerno farms. Furthermore, 37 mozzarella brands were analyzed (carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes) from the different production areas, to characterize their origin. RESULTS: The results of this work showed no changes in carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of milk and mozzarella, indicating no fractionation in the production process. The δ13 C of milk was influenced by feeding signal; while, milk δ15 N was regulated by fractionation occurring during ruminant metabolism. Mozzarella oxygen isotopic signal depleted with respect to the milk one. Regarding brand samples, it was found that the geographical differentiation is based more on carbon isotopes than on the nitrogen and oxygen ones. CONCLUSION: This work gives an important contribution to the knowledge regarding the traceability of such a particular cheese as mozzarella. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fire Severity Influences Ecophysiological Responses of Pinus pinaster Ait.

The effect of fire severity on Pinus pinaster growth and ecophysiological responses was evaluated in four burned sites of Vesuvio National Park, Southern Italy. After the wildfire of 2017, when over 1300 hectares of vegetation, mainly P. pinaster woods, were destroyed, four sites were selected according to the different degree of fire severity and a multidisciplinary approach based on tree rings, stable isotopes and percentage of crown scorched or consumed was applied. All the sampled trees in the burned sites showed a decrease in tree growth in 2017, in particular in the latewood at high-severity site. The dendrochronology analyses showed that several individuals experienced and endured higher fire severity in the past compared to 2017 fire. Further δ13C and δ18O underlined the ecophysiological responses and recovery mechanisms of P. pinaster, suggesting a drastic reduction of photosynthetic and stomata activity in the year of the fire. Our findings demonstrated that P. pinaster growth reduction is strictly linked to the percentage of crown scorch and that even trees with high level of crown scorched could survive. In all the burned sites the high temperatures and the time of exposure to the flames were not sufficient to determine the death of the cambium and all the trees were able to complete the 2017 seasonal wood formation. This data can contribute to define guidelines to managers making post-fire silvicultural operations in pine forest stands in the Mediterranean Basin.

Traffic pollution affects tree-ring width and isotopic composition of Pinus pinea.

This study presents new evidence that radiocarbon, combined with dendrochronological and stable isotopes analysis in tree rings and needles, can help to better understand the influence of pollution on trees. Pinus pinea individuals, adjacent to main roads in the urban area of Caserta (South Italy) and exposed to large amounts of traffic exhaust since 1980, were sampled and the time-related trend in the growth residuals was estimated. We found a consistent decrease in the ring width starting from 1980, with a slight increase in delta(13)C value, which was considered to be a consequence of environmental stress. No clear pattern was identified in delta(15)N, while an increasing effect of the fossil fuel dilution on the atmospheric bomb-enriched (14)C background was detected in tree rings, possibly as a consequence of the increase in traffic exhausts. Our findings suggested that radiocarbon is a very sensitive tool to investigate small-scale (i.e. traffic exhaust at the level crossing) and large-scale (urban area pollution) induced disturbances.