Ore mineralizations in bedrock and their exploitation may have a negative impact on air quality of surrounding urban areas and, subsequently, on human health. This study uses lichens as bioindicators ...of atmospheric pollution to evaluate the spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the towns close to the massive sulfide deposits of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) in SW Spain. Altogether 89 native lichen samples of Xanthoria parietina were collected from the mining towns, control towns out of the reach of the mining activity, as well as from distal sampling sites. The samples were analyzed for 29 elements after acid digestion. The concentrations for Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, W, Tl, Pb, S, and Fe are significantly higher in the mining towns in comparison to the control towns. The ore mineral-associated PTEs, including Cu, Zn, As, Ba, and Pb, exhibit extreme concentrations in the urban areas close to the mining activity, and particularly in the small settlement of La Dehesa next to the mineral processing plant and the tailings pond. The distal samples confirm the decrease in the concentrations of all PTEs, and these samples present similar values as in the control areas. The results, point at increased bioaccumulation of PTEs in the lichen thalli of the adjacent urban areas, suggesting that the air quality of the adjacent urban areas is locally impacted by the massive polymetallic sulfide deposits which is enhanced by the mining activity. Therefore, monitoring the urban air quality is recommended.
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•Metal(loid)s were studied in lichen bioindicators in urban areas of mining towns.•High bioaccumulation of sulfide-associated elements was observed in Xanthoria parietina.•Ratios of Cu, Zn, As and Pb were distinct from traffic-related pollution sources.•Potentially toxic elements were significantly higher in mining towns than control towns.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The objective of the study was to assess the phytoremediation potential in two remineralized soils contaminated with sulfentrazone. Two soil types were evaluated: Oxisol (clayey) and Inceptisol ...(sandy loam), in pots, with and without the incorporation of the rock powder, at rates of 0, 4, and 8 t ha−1. Following this, sulfentrazone was applied at rates of 200, 400, 600, and 800 g a. i. ha−1, in addition to the control treatment without herbicide application, followed by the sowing of Canavalia ensiformis (jack bean). Injury level (IL) was assessed at 42 days after emergence (DAE), and biometric evaluations of the phytoremediating species were conducted at 70 and 120 DAE in the Oxisol and Inceptisol, respectively, for the following variables: height (HT), diameter (DM), trifoliate leaf number (TN), leaf area (LA), above-ground dry biomass (DB), and root dry biomass (RDB). At the end of the phytoremediation experiment, the soils were analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and with Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) as a bioindicator to verify the residue of sulfentrazone. IL and DB assessments of the bioindicator species were conducted at 21 DAE. In both soils, higher herbicide rates (600 and 800 g a. i. ha−1) resulted in greater IL and reduced HT, LA, DB, and RDB of the phytoremediating species. C. ensiformis reduced the sulfentrazone residues in the soils. Although it did not directly influence phytoremediation, the rock powder improved soil fertility. In conclusion, C. ensiformis has the potential for effective phytoremediation of soils contaminated with sulfentrazone, providing safety for cultivating sensitive crops and benefiting the environment.
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•The remineralizer acted positively on soil fertility.•Canavalia ensiformis is capable of phytoremediating soils contaminated by sulfentrazone.•More than 88% of the sulfentrazone applied was reduced in both soils.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Bioindicators play an important role in understanding pollution levels, bioavailability and the ecological risks of contaminants. Several bioindicators have been suggested for understanding ...microplastic in the marine environment. A bioindicator for microplastics in the freshwater environment does not exist. In our previous studies, we found a high frequency of microplastic pollution in the Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) in Taihu Lake, China. In the present study, we conducted a large-scale survey of microplastic pollution in Asian clams, water and sediment from 21 sites in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Basin from August to October of 2016. The Asian clam was available in all sites, which included diverse freshwater systems such as lakes, rivers and estuaries. Microplastics were found at concentrations ranging from 0.3-4.9 items/g (or 0.4–5.0 items/individual) in clams, 0.5–3.1 items/L in water and 15–160 items/kg in sediment. Microfibers were the most dominant types of microplastics found, accounting for 60–100% in clams across all sampling sites. The size of microplastics ranged from 0.021-4.83 mm, and microplastics in the range of 0.25–1 mm were dominant. The abundance, size distribution and color patterns of microplastics in clams more closely resembled those in sediment than in water. Because microplastic pollution in the Asian clam reflected the variability of microplastic pollution in the freshwater environments, we demonstrated the Asian clam as an bioindicator of microplastic pollution in freshwater systems, particularly for sediments.
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•Variance of microplastic abundance was found at Middle-Lower Yangtze River Basin.•Asian clam reflected the great variances of microplastic pollution in a large scale.•Microplastics in Asian clam showed closer relationships to those in sediment.•Asian clam was proposed to be an indicator of microplastics in freshwater systems.
Asian clams can be used as bioindicators for monitoring microplastic pollution in freshwater systems, and in particular in sediments.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Microplastics in bivalves have caused widespread concern due to their potential health risk to humans. In this study, microplastics in the digestive systems of four locally cultured bivalve species ...(scallop Chlamys farreri, mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, oyster Crassostrea gigas, and clam Ruditapes philippinarum) in Qingdao, China, were analyzed and detected in 233 out of 290 bivalve samples (80%) over four seasons. The microplastic abundance in four species of bivalves ranged between 0.5 and 3.3 items/individual or 0.3 and 20.1 items/g wet weight digestive system, with significant species-specific and region-specific differences but no season-specific differences. Microfiber was the most predominant shape of all microplastics found. Eighteen types of polymer with diameters between 7 and 5000 μm were identified by μ-FT-IR (505 of 587 suspected items identified as microplastics) with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and rayon being the most abundant ones. Bivalves collected in summer contained more larger-sized microplastics. R. philippinarum accumulated more smaller-sized microplastics and showed different microplastic features compared with the other three species of bivalves. By comparing and analyzing the microplastic polymer types between each bivalve species and the ambient environment, microplastic in clam can best reflect the variability of microplastic polymer types in sediment among different areas. Mussels can reflect the variability of microplastic polymer types in water to an extent. Therefore, clam and mussel are recommended to serve as bioindicators for microplastic pollution in the sediment and water, respectively. The occurrence of microplastics pollution in bivalves worldwide is wide, and bivalves can act as the transporter of microplastics to humans. Our results suggest that bivalves have an important role as environmental bioindicators and the pollution of microplastics in bivalves needs attention.
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•Microplastic abundance in four species of bivalves showed no seasonal variations.•Microplastic features in bivalves showed regional and species differences.•Bivalves can act as the transporter of microplastics to humans.•The use of bivalves as bioindicators of microplastic pollution is suggested.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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•Presentation of pesticide influence on microbial communities and biological soil activity.•Analysis of changes which occur in underground biochemistry in the presence of ...pesticides.•Evaluation of prevention of negative effects of pesticides on biological soil activity.
So far, there have been hardly any studies offering a comprehensive view of biological activity in soil, with little scholarly attention paid to the influence of different pesticides and their metabolites. The impact of the pesticides on soil health is still a current and important problem, which requires constant monitoring. The present review summarizes the recent scientific reports regarding soil enzymes and activities of microorganisms as well as changes occurring in underground biochemistry under the influence of pesticides. It is difficult to interpret enzymatic and microbiological responses after the application of pesticides because of their structural diversity and variety of breakdown pathways.
Pesticides applied to soil tend to be a mixture of different active substances. That is why it is difficult to analyze their influence on soil biological activity. The present review attempts to discuss the activity of such compounds on microbial communities and soil enzymatic activity. It also investigates pesticides degradation in soil and prevention of their negative effects on soil biological activity.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The land-use change from natural to managed farmland ecosystems can undergo perturbations and significantly impact soil environment and communities. To understand how anthropogenic land-use ...alteration determines in-depth relationships among soil environmental factors and soil bacterial communities, high-resolution characterization was performed using soil samples (27 spots × 3 depths; top 10–20 cm, middle 90–100 cm, bottom 180–190 cm) from a natural forest and a 50 year-old farmland. The soil bacterial community abundance (number of OTU's per sample) and diversity (Faith's phylogenetic diversity) was significantly higher in the top layer of farmland soil than in forest soil. However, the differences in bacterial community abundance between farmland and forest decreased with depth, suggesting that the effect of fertilization was limited to top and middle layers. The phyla Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were distributed distinctively during the land-use change. The subgroups Gp1–3 of Acidobacteria were more abundant in the forest samples (pH 3.5–5), while Gp4–7 and Gp10 were predominant in the farmland (pH 4.5–9.5). Members belonging to α-Proteobacteria and Xanthomonadales in γ–Proteobacteria were dominant in the forest, whereas β–, δ–, and γ–Proteobacteria were relatively abundant in the farmland. Both multivariate and correlation network analyses revealed that Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria communities were significantly affected by soil pH, as well as toxic metals from pesticides (Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd, As) and terminal electron acceptors (NO3, bioavailable Fe(III), SO4). In line with the long history of anthropogenic fertilization, the farmland site showed high abundance of membrane and ATP-binding cassette transporter genes, suggesting the key for uptake of nutrients and for protection against toxic metals and environmental stresses. This study provides new insights into the use of both Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria community structures as a bacterial indicator for land-use change.
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•High-resolution data of 16S rRNA sequencing and environmental factors were analyzed.•Land-use change from forest to farmland caused changes in pH, nutrients, anthropogenic metals, and TEAs.•Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were most affected by land-use change.•Physicochemical variations had close associations with specific subgroups of these phyla.•These specific subgroups can be good bioindicators associated with land-use change.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Plastic ingestion by seabirds is an increasing issue worldwide, yet species can vary in ingestion based on ecological and morphological differences. This provokes the ecological question of which ...species are better suited to monitor plastic ingestion across regions and time. In Canada, we examined plastic ingestion in sympatric northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia), and black guillemots (Cepphus grylle). Here, we present new data and compare to historical work to inform plastic pollution monitoring in Canada. In 2021, 51 % of fulmars, 7 % of kittiwakes and 7 % of murres contained plastic, whereas guillemots had no pieces >1 mm. Regardless of the methods used to collect and process samples, fulmars continue to have low levels of ingestion compared to the European Arctic, but high levels compared to other species in the Canadian Arctic, emphasizing their continued utility as a monitoring tool for plastic pollution in Canada.
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•We review data and present new data on plastics in four seabird species in Canada.•Plastic ingestion appears to be stable in kittiwakes, murres and guillemots.•Plastic ingestion by fulmars increased at two colonies, but remains stable in others.•Fulmars exhibit a north-south plastic gradient, with lower ingestion in the north.•Continued higher plastics in fulmars underscores their utility as a monitoring tool.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The ubiquity and high bioavailability of microplastics have an unknown risk on the marine environment. Biomonitoring should be used to investigate biotic impacts of microplastic exposure. While many ...studies have used mussels as indicators for marine microplastic pollution, a robust and clear justification for their selection as indicator species is still lacking. Here, we review published literature from field investigations and laboratory experiments on microplastics in mussels and critically discuss the suitability and challenges of mussels as bioindicator for microplastic pollution. Mussels are suitable bioindicator for microplastic pollution because of their wide distribution, vital ecological niches, susceptibility to microplastic uptake and close connection with marine predators and human health. Field investigations highlight a wide occurrence of microplastics in mussels from all over the world, yet their abundance varies enormously. Problematically, these studies are not comparable due to the lack of a standardized approach, as well as temporal and spatial variability. Interestingly, microplastic abundance in field-collected mussels is closely related to human activity, and there is evidence for a positive and quantitative correlation between microplastics in mussels and surrounding waters. Laboratory studies collectively demonstrate that mussels may be good model organisms in revealing microplastic uptake, accumulation and toxicity. Consequently, we propose the use of mussels as target species to monitor microplastics and call for a uniform, efficient and economical approach that is suitable for a future large-scale monitoring program.
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•Microplastics have been investigated and found in mussels around the world.•Mussel can be a good organism to study the toxicity of microplastic in the laboratory.•Mussel is proposed as a global bioindicator of microplastic pollution.•It is necessary to develop a uniform protocol for microplastic monitoring in mussels.
Mussel is a global bioindicator of microplastic pollution.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Mangrove forests in Surabaya's estuaries and coastal areas are designated by the government as protected areas. However, in the last decade, water pollution in the estuary and coastal areas of ...Surabaya has increased. This is due to rivers and tributaries that lead to the estuary carrying garbage and waste, as a result the waters in the mangrove area began to be polluted. The purpose of this study was to map water pollution in the Mangrove area, using the plankton diversity index. This diversity is based on the sensitivity of plankton, so it is used as a bioindicator of water pollution. This study, conducted in the estuary and along the East Coast of Surabaya. The results showed 70% of phytoplankton abundance in Wonorejo Mangrove is influenced by the value of COD, TSS, salinity, and phosphate. The estuary and coastal Mangrove Gunung Anyar 92% is influenced by the parameter values of temperature, COD, current strength, and salinity. Bacillariophyceae and Coscinodiscophyceae were the dominant phytoplankton in the Wonorejo and Gunung Anyar mangrove areas, respectively. The dominance of these two plankton, which were able to survive, indicates that the water quality in the Wonorejo and Gunung Anyar estuaries is polluted.
Background & objectives: Sandflies are vector insects associated with terrestrial forest ecosystems; in the Ecuadorian Andes, they participate in the transmission of human cutaneous leishmaniasis. ...This geographical area represents an opportunity to evaluate the role of sandflies as bioindicators of the degree of intervention of tropical humid forest ecosystems (THF) associated with changes in the ecology of the local landscape. Methods: CDC-light traps were used for collecting adult sandflies in February 2020 in a humid tropical forest within the Chocó Biosphere Reserve. All species were identified using morphological keys. Analysis data about abundance, richness, species accumulation, diversity index, species composition communities, species sex proportion, spatial sandflies environmental, Renyi’s Diversity Profile were performed to compare six spatial habitats in Mashpi locality, Ecuador. Results: Sandflies were collected (n-1435); the main species are represented by Trichophoromyia reburra, Nyssomyia trapidoi, Psathyromyia aclydifera, Psychodopygus panamensis and Lutzomyia hartmanni . Only Th. reburra is associated with not intervened forest, while the other three species are associated with intervened forest within Mashpi in the Choco Biosphere Reserve. The secondary forest has major sandflies’ richness, while the primary forest exhibits major abundance. Interpretation & conclusion: Th. reburra is a sandfly restricted to the Andean Forest and is a bioindicator of the high environmental health quality of the forest, while Ny. trapidoi and Pa. aclydifera are bioindicators of environmental disturbances in the forest. Additionally, Ps. panamensis, Lu. hartmanni and Ny. trapidoi are bioindicators of human impact and the risk of leishmaniasis.
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