Comprehensive monitoring of contamination and ecological-health risk assessment of potentially harmful elements in surface water of Maroon-Jarahi sub-basin of the Persian Gulf, Iran.

The increase in heavy metal concentration in water bodies due to rapid industrial and socio-economic development significantly threatens ecological and human health. This study evaluated metal pollution and related risks to ecology and human health in the Maroon-Jarahi river sub-basin in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea basin, southwest Iran, using various indicators. A total of 70 water samples were taken from the sampling sites in the Maroon, Allah, and Jarahi sub-basins and analyzed for nine heavy metals. According to the results, the mean concentration of metals in the sampling locations across the entire sub-basin of Maroon-Jarahi was observed as follows Iron (528.22 µg/L), zinc (292.62 µg/L), manganese (56.47 µg/L), copper (36.23 µg/L), chromium (11.78 µg/L), arsenic (7.09 µg/L), lead (3.43 µg/L), nickel (3.23 µg/L), and cadmium (1.38 µg/L). Most of the metals were detected at the highest concentration in the sub-basin of the Jarahi River. The Water Quality Index (WQI) index in the basin varied from 18.74 to 22.88, indicating well to excellent quality. However, the investigation of the pollution status at the monitoring stations, based on the classification of Degree of Contamination (CD) and Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) indices, revealed that they are in the category of relatively high pollution (16 < CD < 32) to very high (32 ≤ CD), and in the low pollution category (HPI < 15) to high pollution (HPI < 30), respectively. According to the three sub-basins, the highest amount of WQI, HPI, and Cd was observed in the stations located in the sub-basins of the Jarahi River. The calculation of Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI) also indicated that only 10% of the monitoring stations are in moderate pollution (10 < HEI < 20), while in other monitoring stations the HEI level is less than 10. The Potential ecological risk factors ( E r i ) of an individual metal was obtained as follows: Cd (173.70) > As (131.99) > Zn (57.52) > Cu (55.39) > Ni (48.98) > Cr (21.57) > Pb (0.71), revealing that Cd and As are the main elements responsible for creating ecological risk in the studied area. The Maroon-Jarahi watershed included areas with ecological risks that ranged from low (PERI ≤ 150) to very high (PERI ≥ 600). HI and ILCR health indicators indicated that consumption and long-term contact with river water in the study area can cause potential risks to human health, especially children. Moreover, the findings, the highest level of pollution and health risk for both children and adults, considering both exposure routes, occurred in the Jarahi River sub-basin, suggesting that those who live in the vicinity of the Jarahi River are likely to face more adverse health effects. In addition, the findings of the evaluation of the relationship between land use patterns and water quality in the studied basin showed that agricultural lands acts as a main source of pollutants, but forest lands play an important role in the deposition of pollutants and the protection of water quality at the basin scale. In general, the results of pollution indicators, risk assessment, and statistical techniques suggest that the lower sub-basin, the Jarahi area, and the Shadegan wetland are the most polluted areas in the investigated sub-basin due to excessive discharge of agricultural runoff, industrialization, and rapid urbanization. Thus, special measures should be considered to reduce the risks of HMs pollution in the sub-basin of the Maroon-Jarahi watershed, especially its downstream and the impact of agricultural land use on water quality should be taken into consideration in basin management plans.

Characteristics and pollution potential of leachate from municipal solid waste landfills: Practical examples from Poland and the Czech Republic and a comprehensive evaluation in a global context.

The formation of leachate is mainly due to the percolating of rainwater through the body of the landfill and the physical, chemical, and biological processes taking place inside the body of the landfill. The characteristics and pollution potential of leachate from the municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in Poland (Lubna) and the Czech Republic (Zdounky) is presented. The objectives of this study are: 1) to evaluate and compare physicochemical characteristics of leachate, 2) to demonstrate the variability of leachate parameters in time, concerning stabilization phase of the landfill, 3) to present existing relationships between the characteristics of the leachate, 4) to indicate the factors determining the variability of the leachate composition. The Leachate Pollution Index (LPI) was applied to indicate temporal changes in leachate pollution, to assess polluting ability of leachate, and to compare the pollution potential of leachate. For the Lubna landfill, the minimum, maximum, and average values of LPI were: 6.10, 39.41, and 18.44, respectively. The LPI for the Lubna landfill tends to decrease in time due to stabilization of wastes. For the Zdounky landfill, temporal decreasing of LPI was not observed. The minimum, maximum, and average values of LPI were: 6.25, 14.25, and 10.11, respectively. Alkaline characteristics of leachate from both landfills indicate the mature stage of waste storage. This phenomenon was also evidenced by the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), ammonium (NH4+), and cadmium (Cd). For both landfills, pH was negatively correlated with most of the leachate parameters. It is the task for environmental engineers to confront existing knowledge (supplemented by the results of this work) about the properties of leachate, its changes over time and its polluting potential with the possibilities of treating and managing it properly.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals in soil, plant, and water samples near "Gacko" power plant, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This study assesses heavy metal content in soil, water, and plant material from sites located around the lignite mine and the power plant "Gacko", Bosnia and Herzegovina. The samples were collected, prepared, and analyzed for heavy metals content using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Samples were analyzed for cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, manganese, and iron. To identify the relationship among the metals in samples and their possible sources, Pearson's correlation and principal component analysis were performed. Health risk assessment was applied to establish potential health risks posed to humans caused by contaminants in different environmental compartments. The results of our analyses show that most soil samples contain copper, and one of those samples had a copper concentration of more than 70 µg/g, which is a critical upper value for agricultural use. In the soil samples that were analyzed, cadmium was also detected, and its concentration was greater than 2 µg/g. Lead, on the other hand, had a concentration that was higher than the maximum permissible for unpolluted soils in 40% of the soil samples that were analyzed. Lead and cadmium concentrations in surface waters mostly contribute to a non-carcinogenic risk in the scenario of recreational swimming exposure. The presence of Cd, a highly toxic element in water, may be explained by the leaching of artificial fertilizers used in the study area, whereas Pb's origin may be geological. The results of this study recommend routine heavy metal monitoring in samples of soil, water, and plants from the examined area so that, if metal concentrations continue increasing, remedial action should be advised to prevent accumulation in the food chain.

Assessment of the multilevel correlations of the pollution indicators and lithological vulnerabilities in a passive limestone mining and cement producing environment.

This study presents the assessment of the air, soil, and water quality within the residential communities around two passive limestone mining/cement factories. The associations between the pollutants were tested across the media, within each medium, between the layers, and between two groups of the communities. The mean values for the PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10 were 65.8 µgm-3, 50.1, and 73.7, respectively, in the air; for the Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr, K-40, U-238, and Th-232 were 0.433 g/kg, 8.950, 0.005, 0.054, 0.104, 161.57 Bq. kg-1, 61.10, and 15.85, respectively, in the topsoil; 0.365 g/kg, 8.259, 0.004, 0.029, 0.057, 71.84 Bq. kg-1, 16.37, 4.66, respectively, in the subsoil; and for the Mn, Fe, and Zn were 0.190, 1.499, and 0.256 mg/l, respectively, in the water. The PM10, Fe, and K-40 were the most abundant pollutants. The Co and Mn, Zn and Cu, Fe and Cu, the absorbed dose rate (ADR) and K-40, and ADR and U-238 correlated significantly. Though the Ibese group was more polluted than the Ewekoro group, the generally low levels of the pollutions were confirmatory of the earlier suspicions of the mining/production activities. The 2nd lithological layer at 0.5 to 1.9 m depths or the 3rd lithological layer at 1.1 to 7.69 m depths for the Ibese group and the 1st layer at the surface or the 2nd layer at 0.5 m depth for the Ewekoro group are protective layers for the groundwater that must not be exploited, given the three classes of groundwater vulnerability indices observed in the area.

An Integrative, Multiparametric Approach for the Comprehensive Assessment of Microbial Quality and Pollution in Aquaculture Systems.

As the aquaculture sector significantly expanded worldwide in the past decades, the concept of sustainable aquaculture has developed with the challenge of not only maximizing benefits but also minimizing the negative impacts on the environment assuring, at the same time, food security. In this framework, monitoring and improving the microbiological water quality and animal health are a central topic. In the present study, we evaluated the seawater microbiological quality in a mariculture system located in a Mediterranean coastal area (Northern Ionian Sea, Italy). We furnished, for the first time, a microbial inventory based on conventional culture-based methods, integrated with the 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach for vibrios identification and diversity analyses, and further implemented with microbial metabolic profiling data obtained from the Biolog EcoPlate system. Microbiological pollution indicators, vibrios diversity, and microbial metabolism were determined in two different times of the year (July and December). All microbial parameters measured in July were markedly increased compared to those measured in December. The presence of potentially pathogenic vibrios is discussed concerning the risk of fish disease and human infections. Thus, the microbial inventory here proposed might represent a new multiparametric approach for the suitable surveillance of the microbial quality in a mariculture system. Consequently, it could be useful for ensuring the safety of both the reared species and the consumers in the light of sustainable, eco-friendly aquaculture management.

Seasonal variations in the water quality and antibiotic resistance of microbial pollution indicators in the Mandovi and Zuari estuaries, Goa, India.

The two adjacent estuaries of the rivers Mandovi and Zuari, along the Goa coast in the central west coast of India, are a large complex aquatic system hosting diverse natural habitats. The water quality in these habitats is affected by various anthropogenic activities as they are extensively used for transportation, fisheries and various recreational activities. In the present study, changes in the water quality and levels of microbial pollution during the pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons were determined. The water quality index was estimated based on the parameters: temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand and nutrients. The seasonal changes in the microbial pollution load were also assessed based on the abundance of pollution indicator organisms and their resistivity towards multiple antibiotics. Results show that the water quality index status was 'poor' in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons and it was 'good' only in the monsoon period. Levels of pollution indicator organisms determined show that the counts were the highest in the pre-monsoon season, which reduced in the monsoon and further declined during the post-monsoon season. However, the estimated multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index suggests that bacterial isolates in monsoonal water and sediment samples have maximum resistance towards antibiotics. This shows that, though the basic water quality improved during the monsoon, possibly due to substantial dilution, the increased terrestrial inputs brought harmful pathogens into these estuarine waters, which may be of potential health risk. Understanding the ecological status of the estuarine habitats is important for successful environmental management and sustainable development.

Spread of SARS-CoV-2 through Latin America and the Caribbean region: A look from its economic conditions, climate and air pollution indicators.

We have evaluated the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region by means of a correlation between climate and air pollution indicators, namely, average temperature, minimum temperature, maximum temperature, rainfall, average relative humidity, wind speed, and air pollution indicators PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 with the COVID-19 daily new cases and deaths. The study focuses in the following LAC cities: Mexico City (Mexico), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Bogotá (Colombia), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Manaus (Brazil), Lima (Perú), Santiago (Chile), São Paulo (Brazil) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The results show that average temperature, minimum temperature, and air quality were significantly associated with the spread of COVID-19 in LAC. Additionally, humidity, wind speed and rainfall showed a significant relationship with daily cases, total cases and mortality for various cities. Income inequality and poverty levels were also considered as a variable for qualitative analysis. Our findings suggest that and income inequality and poverty levels in the cities analyzed were related to the spread of COVID-19 positive and negative, respectively. These results might help decision-makers to design future strategies to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in LAC and around the world.

Concentration, fractionation, and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals and phosphorus in surface sediments from lakes in N. Greece.

The presence of phosphorus (P) and heavy metals (HMs) in surface sediments originating from lakes Volvi, Kerkini, and Doirani (N. Greece), as well as their fractionation patterns, were investigated. No statistically significant differences in total P content were observed among the studied lakes, but notable differences were observed among sampling periods. HM contents in all lakes presented a consistent trend, i.e., Mn > Cr > Zn > Pb > Ni > Cu > Cd, while the highest concentrations were recorded in Lake Kerkini. Most of the HMs exceeded probable effect level value indicating a probable biological effect, while Ni in many cases even exceeded threshold effects level, suggesting severe toxic effects. P was dominantly bound to metal oxides, while a significant shift toward the labile fractions was observed during the spring period. The sum of potentially bioavailable HM fractions followed a downward trend of Mn > Cr > Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cd for most lakes. The geoaccumulation index Igeo values of Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn in all lakes characterized the sediments as "unpolluted," while many sediments in lakes Volvi and Kerkini were characterized as "moderately to heavily polluted" with regard to Cd. The descending order of potential ecological risk [Formula: see text] was Cd > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cr > Zn > Mn for all the studied lakes. Ni and Cr presented the highest toxic risk index values in all lake sediments. Finally, the role of mineralogical divergences among lake sediments on the contamination degree was signified.

Using the mini-VIDAS(®) Easy Salmonella protocol to assess contamination in transitional and coastal waters.

Classical methodologies for Salmonella detection may be too long in time to assure public safety. Presently, one of the fastest assays for Salmonella detection using the mini-VIDAS(®) system is the Easy Salmonella protocol. This assay, developed for food matrixes analysis, was here assessed for the applicability on the detection of these bacteria in transitional and saltwaters. The presence of Salmonella was detected in 4.2 % of the samples studied. In these transitional waters, the proposed protocol presented an efficiency of 79.1 %, due to a high false positive rate (20.8 %), and a false negative rate of 0 %-implying reducing analysis time, the use of enrichment broths, and making it more cost effective. Despite the multitude of samples nature, the method here described revealed to be an efficient and promising tool for transitional waters analysis.

Advancing groundwater quality predictions: Machine learning challenges and solutions.

Machine learning (ML) is revolutionizing groundwater quality research by enhancing predictive accuracy and management strategies for contamination. This comprehensive review explores the evolution of ML technologies and their integration into environmental science, assessing 230 papers to understand the advancements and challenges in groundwater quality research. It reveals that a substantial portion of the research neglects critical preprocessing steps, crucial for model accuracy, with 83 % of the studies overlooking this phase. Furthermore, while model optimization is more commonly addressed, being implemented in 65 % of the papers, there is a noticeable gap in model interpretability, with only 15 % of the research providing explanations for model outcomes. Comparative evaluation of ML algorithms and careful selection of evaluation metrics are deemed essential for determining model fitness and reliability. The review underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, methodological rigor, and continuous innovation to advance ML in groundwater management. By addressing these challenges and implementing solutions, the full potential of ML can be harnessed to tackle complex environmental issues and ensure sustainable groundwater management. This comprehensive and critical review paper can serve as a guiding framework to establish minimum standards for developing ML in groundwater quality studies.

Human Health Risk Assessment to the Consumption of Medicinal Plants with Melliferous Potential from the Romanian South-Eastern Region.

This study presents the impact on human health by consuming medicinal herbs with high melliferous potential (HMPs) from botanical areas with different pollution levels. First, the bioaccumulation of the plants' parts has been determined. The study assessed the potential health risks associated with the ingestion of various mineral species (macroelements-K, Ca, Mg, Na; microelements-Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and one trace element Cd) from three types of HMPs (Sambucus nigra (SnL), Hypericum perforatum (Hp), and Tilia tomentosa (Tt)). The average concentrations of these elements were not similar even in the same type of HMPs. Nevertheless, all samples contained detectable levels of the studied elements. The average concentrations of the studied elements were very low (significantly lower than the legal limit set by the WHO). The study's findings indicated that the potential health risks associated with ingesting the elements in HMPs were within acceptable limits for children and adults. The hazard quotient (HQ) for Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Cd and the hazard index (HI) for the minerals from HMPs were significantly lower than the acceptable limit (HQ and HI = 1). Similarly, the carcinogenic risk for chemical substances (Riskccs) were lower than or close to the acceptable limit (1 × 10-4).

Prediction of long-term water quality using machine learning enhanced by Bayesian optimisation.

Water quality assessment is critical to better recognise the importance of water in human society. In this study, a new framework to predict long-term water quality is proposed by using Bayesian-optimised machine learning methods and key pollution indicators collected from monitoring stations in the Pearl River Estuary, Guangdong, China. The optimised stacked generalisation (SG-op) model achieved the best performance with the highest accuracy (0.992) and Kappa coefficient (0.987). Feature importance of the prediction model was consistent with key pollution indicators. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to determine the significance level of the variation trends of different pollution indicators. The results show that the total phosphorus (TOP), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and petroleum (PET) among the key pollution indicators were on an upward trend in the study area. This framework can be applied to efficiently predict future water quality and to provide technical support for emergency pollution control.

Experimental Research on the Treatment of Stormwater Contaminated by Disinfectants Using Recycled Materials-Hemp Fiber and Ceramzite.

Pollution caused by the use of disinfectants in public spaces is a relatively new form of environmental contamination. During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021, early research showed a sevenfold increase in the use of disinfectants to clean outdoor spaces and a corresponding increase in environmental pollution. Typically, after entering stormwater systems, disinfectants are carried to surface waters (e.g., rivers, seas and lakes) where they react with various elements to form harmful compounds. In the absence of data, it is not possible to determine accurate levels of pollution according to the latest scientific information. Our enquiry demonstrates that stormwater pollution indicators (pH, conductivity, turbidity and color intensity) change depending on the amounts of disinfectants present. Laboratory tests were conducted using hemp fiber and ceramzite, in which filtered stormwater samples contaminated with different amounts of disinfectants showed decreases in the amounts of active chlorine from 2.93 ppm to 1.0 ppm. Changes in pH levels, conductivity, turbidity and color intensity were monitored before and after filtration; pH indicators changed slightly (from 7.81 to 7.85), turbidity changes varied in the range of 0.070-0.145 NTU and the highest value of color intensity (1.932 AV) was obtained when 50 mL of disinfectant was added to the investigated sample water. This article presents the results of our research into the impact of disinfectants on stormwater. Further investigation is needed in order to determine the impacts of chemical substances on our water ecosystem.

Assessing sediment organic pollution via machine learning models and resource performance.

Due to the potential ecological risks of organic pollution in sediments, aquatic ecosystems are currently facing substantial environmental threats. Assessing and controlling sediment pollution has become a huge challenge. Therefore, this study proposes a novel strategy for predicting organic pollution indicators for sediment, as well as an effective resource-utilization method. Contaminated sediments were converted into catalysts for sulfate radical advanced oxidation technologies by a one-step calcination method. The results revealed that the catalyst excelled in activating peroxymonosulfate to degrade tetracycline via a non-radical pathway. Most importantly, a predictive model of organic pollution indicators was established by machine learning. This study provides a novel approach for resource utilization and a strategy for assessing organic pollution in sediments.

Source identification and health risk assessments of heavy metals in indoor dusts of Ilorin, North central Nigeria.

Background and Purpose: Exposure to heavy metals (HMs) in indoor dusts is a serious public concern that is linked to a myriad of deleterious health outcomes. The objectives of this study are to estimate the contamination levels of HMs in indoor dusts of different residential areas in Ilorin, Nigeria; identify HMs sources in different residential areas; and evaluate human health risks of HMs in selected residential areas. Methods: Indoor dust sampling was conducted in ten randomly selected from low, medium and high population density residential areas of Ilorin, Nigeria. Ten HMs concentration levels, their health risk implication and the associated potential ecological risks were evaluated. Results: The mean concentration levels measured for Fe, Pb, Zn, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Cd, Mn and Ni were 38.99, 5.74, 3.99, 0.08, 2.82, 2.13, 0.47, 0.60, 6.45 and 1.09 mg/kg, respectively. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model was applied to ascertain sources of HMs in sampled indoor dust. Percentage contribution from oil-based cooking (29.82%) and transportation (29.77%) represented the highest source to HM concentrations among the six factors identified. The results of the various pollution indices employed showed that Pb, Zn, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni contributed moderately to HMs concentration levels in the sampled dusts. Cd had highest potential ecological risk factor E r i of between 160 and 320. The average values of Enrichment Factors (EFs) obtained aside from Fe used as the reference metal, ranged between 8.46 (As) and 2521.61(Cd). Health risk assessment results revealed that children are the most susceptible to the risks associated with HMs bound indoor dust than the adults. The percentage risk contributions of Hazard Quotient via ingestion route (HQing) in Hazard Index (HI) for non-cancer risk of indoor HMs were 93.17% and 69.87% in children and adults, respectively. Likewise, the percentage cancer risks contribution through ingestion pathway (CRing) were higher than cancer risks through inhalation and dermal pathways (CRinh and CRdermal), accounting for 99.84% and 97.04% of lifetime cancer risk in children and adults, respectively. The contamination level of Cd recorded is of great concern and signifies very strong contribution from anthropogenic sources. Conclusion: This study has further revealed the levels of HMs in typical African residential settings that could be used by relevant stakeholders and policy makers in developing lasting control measures. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-021-00778-8.

Distribution of hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes and pollution indicators in water during a monsoon transitional period in Min River Basin.

Based on 197 monthly river water and groundwater samples and 30 event-scale precipitation samples, our study reports the distribution of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes and pollution indicators in Min River Basin. The variation of δ18O and d-excess indicate that the water source in the upper main course water is more variable and that in the middle-lower part is relatively stable. Comparison between plots of δ2H versus δ18O in the river water and precipitation reflect the dominant water source is different between river water in the upper and middle-lower parts. The electrical conductivity (EC) shows a similar spatial variation trend for main course water collected in four campaigns. The pollutant concentration change at the confluences of main tributaries shows that the inflow of Heishui River and Dadu River leads to decreased NO3- and Cl-, while that of Xi River, Pu River and Fuhe River leads to a leap in NO3- and Cl-. A significant positive correlation is observed between EC and δ18O, indicating the consistent control of water sources on isotope distribution and water quality. The relationship between elevation and δ18O in the main course river water suggests that the factors affecting isotope distribution vary spatially. "Altitude effect" can only be observed in October and November for the upper steepest plateau zone due to the spatial variation in the precipitation stored during the wet season. The "inverse altitude effect" is observed for the upper part during the wet season and for the middle-lower part during the whole study period, which can be explained by the contribution of tributaries with different discharge regimes. Our findings show that water source with different discharge regimes can serve as the leading factor controlling the stream component in multi-tributary river basins with large spatial span and may mask the influence of spatial distribution of precipitation.

Comparison between water quality indices in watersheds of the Southern Bahia (Brazil) with different land use.

The present study evaluated the influence of land use and occupation on water quality indices (WQI); the WQI developed by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), the WQI adapted by the Environmental Company of the São Paulo State (CETESB), WQI proposed by Bascarón and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) WQI, obtained for watersheds located in the Eastern Water Planning and Management Region (BA). The study also analyzed the divergences and similarities of these WQI methods. Water quality data were obtained from the Monitoring Program (Monitora) of Environment and Water Resources Institute of Bahia (INEMA), covering the period from 2008 to 2015, at thirteen (13) sampling sites, with quarterly collections, as well as land use and occupation data. The influence of land use and occupation on water quality indices was assessed by principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA showed that urban and agricultural/pasture areas were influencing factors on water quality variables, such as total phosphorus, biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, turbidity total residues and consequently lower WQI values in the Cachoeira watershed. Among the tested methods to evaluate the water quality of watersheds in the study area, the most similar were the NSF WQI, CETESB WQI, and Objective Bascarón WQI.

Suitability of four main Mediterranean tree crops for their growth in peri-urban agriculture and restoration (Gabes, Tunisia).

In order to increase the knowledge about crop tolerance to air pollutants in the different agroclimatic zones of the world, so that they can be efficiently considered for improving peri-urban agriculture, increasing the success of restoration projects, or enhancing air quality in polluted sites, the suitability of four economical valuable tree crops of the Mediterranean agriculture were studied under field conditions: date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera L.), pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), fig tree (Ficus carica L.), and olive tree (Olea europaea L.). The measurement of biochemical markers such as ascorbic acid content, leaf relative water content, leaf total chlorophyll and leaf extract pH, at two contrasted air quality sites, a polluted site located around Gabes (Tunisia) industrial area and a control site, allowed the assessment of the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API) for the assayed species. Results showed obvious differences between the evergreen and the caducifolious tree crops assayed. Phoenix dactylifera tree (API = 6) was classified as an excellent performer for growing under poor air quality, followed by Olea europaea tree (API = 2) which was classified as a moderate performer. Both of trees can be recommended for successful results in peri-urban agriculture and restoration projects of polluted areas in the Mediterranean climate; on the contrary, the suitability of the Punica granatum (API = 1) was very poor, but still potentially interesting as a biological indicator of air pollution. Regarding the Ficus carica tree (API = 0), this species is not suitable for growing in air-polluted areas.

Molecular evidence for deeper diversity in Australian Tanypodinae (Chironomidae): Yarrhpelopia and related new taxa.

The diversity and endemism of Australian Tanypodinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) has been unclear from morphological comparisons with well-grounded northern hemisphere taxonomy. As part of a comprehensive study, here we focus on one of the few described endemic genera, Yarrhpelopia Cranston. Extensive and intensive new sampling and newly-acquired molecular data provides clarity for the type species, Yarrhpelopia norrisi Cranston and allows recognition of congeners and potential sister group(s). We describe Yarrhpelopia acorona Cranston Krosch sp. n., and we recognise a third species from Western Australia, retaining an informal code 'V20' due to inadequate reared / associated material for formal description. We recognise a robust clade Coronapelopia Cranston Krosch gen. n., treated as a genus new to science for two new species, Coronapelopia valedon Cranston Krosch sp. n. and Coronapelopia quadridentata Cranston Krosch sp. n., from eastern Australia, each described in their larval and pupal stages and partial imaginal stages. Interleaved between the independent new Australian clades Yarrhpelopia and Coronapelopia are New World Pentaneura and relatives, that allow a tentative inference of a dated gondwanan (austral) connection. Expanded sampling indicates that Y. norrisi, although near predictably present in mine-polluted waters, is not obligate but generally indicates acidic waters, including natural swamps and Sphagnum bogs. The inferred acidophily, including in drainages of mine adits, applies to many taxa under consideration here.

Ecological assessment of anthropogenic impact in marine ecosystems: The case of Bagnoli Bay.

Pollutants alter marine systems, interfering with provisioning of ecosystem services; understanding their interaction with ecological communities is therefore critical to inform environmental management. Here we propose a joint compositional- and interaction-based analysis for ecological status assessment and apply it on the benthic communities of the Bagnoli Bay. We found that contamination differentially affects the communities' composition in the bay, with prokaryotes influenced only by depth, and benthos not following the environmental gradient at all. This result is confirmed by analyses of the community structure, whose network structure suggest fast carbon flow and cycling, especially promoted by nematodes and polychaetes; the benthic prey/predator biomass ratio, adjusted for competition, successfully synthesise the status of predator taxa. We found demersal fish communities to separate into a deep, pelagic-like community, and two shallow communities where a shift from exclusive predators to omnivores occurs, moving from the most polluted to the least polluted sampling units. Finally, our study indicate that indices based on interspecific interactions are better indicators of environmental gradients than those defined based on species composition exclusively.