•PFCs were measured for first time in 10 species of Mediterranean fish/shellfish.•Almost all samples contained detectable levels of PFCs.•The most prominent PFC was PFOS, found in levels up to ...22ngg−1.•PFC concentrations were generally higher after frying or grilling of fish samples.•Human exposure by consumption of these fish species is below limit proposed by EFSA.
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were analyzed in several species of small Mediterranean fish and shellfish, all of which are popular in Greek diet. Analysis was conducted in raw samples and in samples cooked by the two ways preferred in Greek cuisine, i.e. fried in olive oil and grilled. PFCs above the detection limit were found in all raw samples except sardine, mussel and squid. The predominant PFC was PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), the highest concentration of which was measured in picarel (20.4ngg−1 fresh weight). The PFOS values for the rest of the samples were between <LOD and 5.66ngg−1 fw. The concentrations of the detected PFCs were in most cases higher after frying or grilling, this increase being statistically significant. Based on these results, the Tolerable Daily Intake for PFOS and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) through consumption of fish and seafood was well below the values proposed by EFSA.
Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) equipped with integrated sensors are a tool valuable to several monitoring strategies, offering enhanced temporal and spatial coverage over specific timeframes, ...allowing for targeted examination of sites or events of interest. The elaboration of environmental monitoring programs has relied so far on periodic spot sampling at specific locations, followed by laboratory analysis, aiming at the evaluation of water quality at a catchment scale. For this purpose, automatic telemetric stations for specific parameters have been installed by the Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters of Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (IMBRIW-HCMR) within several Greek rivers and lakes, providing continuous and temporal monitoring possibilities. In the present work, USVs were deployed by the Athens Water and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) as a cost-effective tool for the environmental monitoring of surface water bodies of interest, with emphasis on the spatial fluctuations of chlorophyll α, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH, observed in Koumoundourou Lake and the rivers Acheloos, Asopos and Kifissos. The effectiveness of an innovative heavy metal (HM) system installed in the USV for the in situ measurements of copper and lead was also evaluated herewith. The results obtained demonstrate the advantages of USVs, setting the base for their application in real-time monitoring of chemical parameters including metals. Simultaneously, the requirements for accuracy and sensitivity improvement of HM sensors were noted, in order to permit full exploitation of USVs' capacities.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been associated with environmental pollutants. The scope of this study is to assess any potential relation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), their ...hydroxylated derivatives, and trace elements with heart failure via their direct determination in human serum of Greek citizens residing in different areas. Therefore, we analyzed 131 samples including cases (heart failure patients) and controls (healthy donors), and the respective demographic data were collected. Significantly higher concentrations (p < 0.05) were observed in cases’ serum regarding most of the examined PAHs and their derivatives with phenanthrene, fluorene, and fluoranthene being the most abundant (median of >50 μg L−1). Among the examined trace elements, As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Pb were measured at statistically higher concentrations (p < 0.05) in cases’ samples, with only Cr being significantly higher in controls. The potential impact of environmental factors such as smoking and area of residence has been evaluated. Specific PAHs and trace elements could be possibly related with heart failure development. Atmospheric degradation and smoking habit appeared to have a significant impact on the analytes’ serum concentrations. PCA–logistic regression analysis could possibly reveal common mechanisms among the analytes enhancing the hypothesis that they may pose a significant risk for CVD development.
Processing of fish in aquaculture generates considerable amounts of by-products that remain underused and/or unexploited. We evaluated the nutritive content of fish by-products (head, gills, ...intestines, trimmings, bones, and skin) from meagre and gilthead sea bream fish species reared in Greece in order to estimate their nutritional value for future development of high added-value products. The proximate composition of the fish samples (total protein, total lipid, ash, moisture, and macro-element content) was determined using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) official methods. The content of fatty acids was determined using capillary gas chromatography, and the protein profile was estimated employing scientific orbitrap mass spectrophotometer methodology. The nutrient composition of fish by-products presented fluctuations among the different by-products. Skin was the most significant protein source, trimmings and bones were high in calcium, and the head, intestines, and bones were a good source of lipids. The most abundant lipid acids found in by-products were oleic, palmitic, linoleic, and eicosenoic acids, whereas the most abundant proteins were adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase subunit epsilon, mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase, and mitochondrial cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 8. These data suggest that by-products constitute valuable sources of nutrients and could therefore be exploited in accordance with the principles of a circular economy.
Complex formation is among the mechanisms affecting metal bioaccessibility. Hence, the quantification of organic metal complexation in food items is of interest. Organic ligands in solutions of ...environmental and/or food origin function as buffering agents against small changes in dissolved metal concentrations, being able to maintain free metal ion concentrations below the toxicity threshold. Organic matter in vinegars consists of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, Maillard reaction endproducts, etc., capable of complexing metal ions. Furthermore, transition metal ions are considered as micronutrients essential for living organisms exerting a crucial role in metabolic processes. In this study, differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV), a sensitive electrochemical technique considered to be a powerful tool for the study of metal speciation, was applied for the first time in vinegar samples. The concentrations of Cu complexing ligands (
) in 43 vinegars retailed in Greece varied between 0.05 and 52 μM, with the highest median concentration determined in balsamic vinegars (14 μM), compared to that of common vinegars (0.86 μM). In 21% of the vinegar samples examined,
values were exceeded by the corresponding total Cu concentrations, indicating the presence of free Cu ion and/or bound within labile inorganic/organic complexes. Red grape balsamic vinegars exhibited the highest density of Cu ligands per mass unit of organic matter compared to other foodstuffs such as herbal infusions, coffee brews, and beers. Among the 16 metals determined in vinegars, Pb is of particular importance from a toxicological point of view, whereas further investigation is required regarding potential Rb biomagnification.
As long-living apex predators, sharks tend to bioaccumulate trace metals through their diet. The distribution of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn and Hg in different tissues (muscle, ...liver, heart, gills and gonads) of large-size (58–390 cm) sharks, some of which rare, of the eastern Mediterranean Sea was studied. Trace metals analyses in samples originating from ten different Chondrichthyes species were performed by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CVAAS) for Hg. Data on trace metal levels are for the first time reported herewith for the species O. ferox and H. nakamurai. Higher median concentrations of trace metals were generally determined in the liver. The concentrations of Hg, Cs and As in the muscle increased proportionally with body length. Statistically significant differences between sexes were recorded for Hg, Cr, Ni and As (p = 0.015) in the muscle tissues of P. glauca. Muscle tissue Hg concentrations exceeded the EU maximum limit (1 μg g−1 wet weight) in 67% of the individuals sampled, with the highest concentrations detected in O. ferox and S. zygaena, whereas regarding Pb (limit 0.30 μg g−1 ww), the corresponding percentage was 15%. Arsenic concentrations were also of concern in almost all shark tissues examined.
Concentrations of dissolved and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined seasonally in sea surface microlayer (SML) and sub-surface water (SSW) within the Saronicos Gulf, ...Greece, close to a highly industrialized coastal zone. For the 16 US EPA priority PAHs, the sum of dissolved PAHs (∑dPAHs) concentrations ranged from 40.4 to 237 ng L−1 in SML, 22.8–180 ng L−1 in SSW0.2, whereas the corresponding concentrations in suspended particulate matter (∑pPAHs) were 30.8 to 177 ng L−1 and 36.8–171 ng L−1, respectively. The enrichment factor (EF) for dissolved ∑dPAHs varied from 0.9 to 2.1 with a mean value of 1.5 (n = 10) being statistically significantly greater than unity, whereas for particulate ∑pPAHs, no enrichment of the SML was reported. Enrichment factors of 5–6 ring PAHs were higher near the industrial zone. The possible sources, fate, and toxicity of PAHs are also discussed.
Polyurea-crosslinked Ca-alginate (X-Ca-alginate) aerogel beads (diameter: 3.3 mm) were evaluated as adsorbents of metal ions, organic solvents, and oils. They were prepared via reaction of an ...aromatic triisocyanate (Desmodur RE) with pre-formed Ca-alginate wet gels and consisted of 54% polyurea and 2% calcium. X-Ca-alginate aerogels are hydrophobic nanoporous materials (90% v/v porosity), with a high BET surface area (459 m
/g
), and adsorb Pb
not only from ultrapure water (29 mg/g
) but also from seawater (13 mg/g
) with high selectivity. The adsorption mechanism involves replacement of Ca
by Pb
ions coordinated to the carboxylate groups of the alginate backbone. After treatment with a Na
EDTA solution, the beads can be reused, without significant loss of activity for at least two times. X-Ca-alginate aerogels can also uptake organic solvents and oil from seawater; the volume of the adsorbate can be as high as the total pore volume of the aerogel (6.0 mL/g
), and the absorption is complete within seconds. X-Ca alginate aerogels are suitable for the decontamination of aquatic environments from a broader range of inorganic and organic pollutants.
Unrefined sea salt originates from seawater, typically by natural evaporation. Being minimally processed, it contains the natural minerals and impurities of seawater. Despite the wide applications of ...salt for culinary and food preservation purposes, the available composition data is particularly limited. Since seawater often contains various harmful substances at a trace or ultra-trace level, their determination in unrefined salt is significant in terms of quality control and food safety. Twenty-four (24) samples of unrefined sea and rock salts retailed in Greece were studied in terms of their trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content, which constitute the usual pollutants examined in seawater. In addition, samples’ color and mineralogy were recorded and their attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectra were obtained. No statistically significant differences were found between sea and rock salts regarding their trace metal (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) content (excluding V) and the 15 PAHs examined. ATR FT-IR succeeded to discriminate among sea, rock, flower, and underground salty water salts. Compared with the typical trace metal concentrations in seawater, quite high Pb values were determined in both sea and rock salts, whereas outliers in the rest of the trace elements examined were scarce. Median values of the sum of PAH (ΣPAHs) concentrations were calculated equal to 2.1 and 2.6 ng g
−1
for sea and rock salts, respectively. Environmental interactions of salt production with trace elements and PAHs are also discussed.
The prevalence of obesity is rising globally, with negative effects on the socioeconomic system. As a result of its drivers which include low-grade chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and fatty ...acid metabolism, this phenotype develops metabolic anomalies that exacerbate its pathogenesis. It has been discovered that metals and metalloids have substantial effects on both the immune system and metabolism and are influenced by factors connected to obesity. Although there is a known connection between metals, obesity, and related metabolic disorders, it is still under research.
We determined the plasma levels of 16 metals and metalloids in 76 individuals with obesity and investigated the relationships with inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in order to clarify the processes by which metals/metalloids exhibit their effects.
After adjusting for age, gender, BMI, physical activity level, smoking, the existence of metabolic abnormalities, and dietary intake of the corresponding metal, regression analysis revealed the following statistically significant associations; vanadium was negatively associated with oxLDL (Beta ± SE= -0.014 ± 0.005, p=0.007), zinc was negatively associated with leptin (Beta ± SE= -12.390 ± 5.226, p=0.025), cobalt was associated negatively with adiponectin (Beta ± SE= -0.030 ± 0.012, p=0.001) and positively with MPO (Beta ± SE= 0.002 ± 0.001, p=0.023), and rubidium was negatively associated with oxLDL (Beta ± SE= -1.139 ± 0.411, p=0.008) and positively with MPO (Beta ± SE= 0.324 ± 0.102, p=0.003).
The aforementioned associations highlight the need for further research, demonstrating the importance of inflammation and oxidative stress in the association between metals/metalloids and obesity-related metabolic abnormalities.
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