Large quantities of chlordecone-based insecticides were produced and used throughout the world. One of its most important uses was to control the damage caused by Cosmopolites sordidus in banana-growing regions. In the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, 18,000 ha of farmland are potentially contaminated. Despite the key role played by soil macrofauna in agroecosystems, there are currently no data on their contamination. The aim of this study was to explore the fate of chlordecone (CLD) and its transfer to different organisms of the soil food web. Seven species of invertebrates representing different taxonomic groups and trophic levels of the soil communities of Martinique were targeted and collected in six experimental banana fields, with a level of contamination within a range of values classically observed. Soil samples and macrofauna from the study sites were analysed for CLD and chlordecol (CLDOH) its main transformation product. The contamination of the soil fauna were related to δ15N (trophic level), proportion of soil ingestion (diet) and types of epidermis (mucus or exoskeleton) in order to study the different mechanisms of macrofauna contamination. Presence of CLD and CLDOH could be quantified in all the soil organisms from contaminated fields. Results showed a significant relationship between the CLD contamination of detritivorous and the ash content of their faeces, suggesting that soil ingestion was the main contamination pathway. In contrast, the exoskeleton-bearing diplopod Trigoniulus coralinus and the soft-bodied earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae, both detritivores with a comparable diet, had similar contamination levels, suggesting that the type of tegument has little influence on bioaccumulation. At the scale of the entire trophic network, a significant relationship was uncovered between δ15N values and CLD contamination of the fauna, therefore providing some in situ evidence for a bioamplification process along the soil food chain.

Chlordecone, applied on soils until 1993 to control banana weevil, has polluted water resources in the French West Indies for more than 40 years. At the watershed scale, chlordecone applications were not homogenous, generating a spatial heterogeneity of the pollution. The roles of climate, hydrology, soil, agronomy, and geology on watershed functioning generate a temporal heterogeneity of the pollution. This study questions the interactions between practices and the environment that induce such variability. We analyzed hydrological and water pollution datasets from a 2-year monitoring program on the Galion watershed in Martinique (French West Indies). We conjointly analyzed (i) weekly chlordecone (CLD) concentration monitored on 3 river sampling sites, (ii) aquifer piezometric dynamics and pollutions, and (iii) agricultural practices on polluted soils. Our results showed that chlordecone pollution in surface waters are characterized by annual trends and infra-annual variations. Aquifers showed CLD concentration 10 times higher than surface water, with CLD concentration peaks during recharge events. We showed strong interactions between rainfall events and practices on CLD pollution requiring a systemic management approach, in particular during post-cyclonic periods. Small sub-watershed with high CLD pollution appeared to be a substantial contributor to CLD mass transfers to the marine environment via rivers and should therefore receive priority management. We suggest increasing stable organic matter return to soil as well as external input of organic matter to reduce CLD transfers to water. We identified hydrological conditions—notably drying periods—and tillage as the most influential factors on CLD leaching. In particular, tillage acts on 3 processes that increases CLD leaching: organic matter degradation, modification of water paths in soil, and allophane clay degradation.

Microplastics (MPs) are a modern societal concern and recognized as a growing environmental hazard by careless disposal. This study aimed to assess the MPs content in white shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis) inhabiting in a natural habitat affected by high anthropogenic pressures, and recognize if the shrimp could be a suitable bioindicator for MPs pollution. To assess spatial changes of MPs presence in shrimps, sampling was carried out by a trawl net from 13 stations across the entire Musa Bay. Tissues of shrimps were examined for MPs following floatation, digestion, microscopic observation and identified by Confocal Raman Spectroscopy. MPs were observed in the shrimps of all stations. The average MPs abundance was 1.02 items/g of digestive tissues. About 37% of recorded MPs in M. affinis samples exceeding 500 μm that could be related to surface area and stickiness as notable controls beyond ingestion. The dominant shape of MPs was fiber, followed by film. Five different colors were recorded in tissues of M. affinis samples, and the white/transparent MPs were the most abundant, followed by blue and black. In addition, a wide range of recorded colors of MPs in the study area could suggest a variety of sources of MPs. Confocal Raman Spectroscopy confirmed that polyethylene terephthalate (46%), polypropylene (27%) and polystyrene (27%) were dominant polymers. As the average annually consumption of shrimp in the region is 2.3 g/person/day, therefore each person could consume 857 MPs per year. In conclusion, the results of this research provide a detailed and useful information for a better understanding of MPs contamination in the region and suggest Jinga shrimp as a suitable species for monitoring MPs in marine ecosystems.

The distribution and sources of PAHs in jinga shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis), and human health risks due to consumption was evaluated in collected samples from the Musa Bay, Persian Gulf. The total concentration of PAHs (∑16PAHs) ranged from 10 to 144 μg kg⁻¹ dry weight, indicating low to moderate level of pollution. The PAHs were dominated by three- (41%) and two-ring (38%) compounds. Source identification analyses indicated the PAH pollution mostly originated from petroleum inputs. A preliminary evaluation of human health risk using chronic daily intake, hazard index, benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent (BaPₑq) concentration (PEC) as well as the incremental life cancer risk and non-cancer risk assessment suggest low potential health risk for consumers of the Metapenaeus affinis. However, the results indicate minimal risks associated with the intake of PAHs via shrimp consumption, but long-term monitoring is required to evaluate the changes in ecological and human health impacts of contaminants in the region.PAHs in Metapenaeus affinis from Musa bay, which influenced by anthropogenic activities were low to moderate level of pollution. Human health risk indicates low potential health risk for consumers.

The growing demand for products with lower environmental impact and the extensive applicability of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have received attention due to their attractive properties. In this study, bio-based films/nanopapers were produced with CNFs from banana tree pseudostem (BTPT) wastes and Eucalyptus kraft cellulose (EKC) and were evaluated by their properties, such as mechanical strength, biodegradability, and light transmittance. The CNFs were produced by mechanical fibrillation (after 20 and 40 passages) from suspensions of BTPT (alkaline pre-treated) and EKC. Films/nanopapers were produced by casting from both suspensions with concentrations of 2% (based in dry mass of CNF). The BTPT films/nanopapers showed greater mechanical properties, with Young’s modulus and tensile strength around 2.42 GPa and 51 MPa (after 40 passages), respectively. On the other hand, the EKC samples showed lower disintegration in water after 24 h and biodegradability. The increase in the number of fibrillation cycles produced more transparent films/nanopapers and caused a significant reduction of water absorption for both raw materials. The permeability was similar for the films/nanopapers from BTPT and EKC. This study indicated that attractive mechanical properties and biodegradability, besides low cost, could be achieved by bio-based nanomaterials, with potential for being applied as emulsifying agents and special membranes, enabling more efficient utilization of agricultural wastes.

In this study, the feasibility of banana straw (BS) hydrolysate as carbon source and reutilizing the pretreated liquor (PL) of BS in the Rhodosporidium toruloides fermentation was explored for the first time. When BS hydrolysate was used as the carbon source, total biomass concentration, lipid concentration, and lipid content under optimal conditions reached 15.52 g/L, 5.83 g/L, and 37.56% (w/w), respectively, which was similar to the results of pure sugar control. After detoxification, 50% PL can be returned to enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation, and total biomass concentration, lipid concentration, and lipid content can reach 15.14 g/L, 5.59 g/L, and 36.91% (w/w). Then, ethanol stillage (ES) was used as the nitrogen source. The NaCl and glycerol of ES could promote lipid accumulation, reaching 7.52 g/L under optimized conditions. Finally, microbial lipid production from BS hydrolysate and ES without any additional nutrients was investigated, and the maximum total biomass concentration, lipid concentration, and lipid content were 13.55 g/L, 4.88 g/L, and 36.01% (w/w), respectively. Besides, the main compositions of microbial lipid produced were C16 and C18, and the biodiesel production from the microbial lipid could meet Chinese and US standard through theoretical numerical calculation.

Banana is one of the most important agricultural products of Ecuador. It relies on intensive monoculture cropping systems with a large volume of standing biomass and large amounts of residual biomass that can be used for carbon sequestration. This study was performed (1) to quantify the yearly residual biomass generation, (2) to quantify the carbon stock of standing banana biomass, (3) to estimate the carbon sequestration potential by using the residual biomass generated yearly, and (4) to propose a biomass prediction model for banana crops in Ecuador. The study was conducted between March 2018 and January 2019 in the three main banana-producing provinces of Ecuador (Los Ríos, Guayas, and El Oro). Samples of rachis, pseudostem, leaves, and flowers from 36 banana plants of the variety Musa AAA Cavendish were taken for laboratory tests. Physical measurements such as height, circumferences, number of leaves, and weights were determined for the 36 plants. Results showed an average residue-to-product ratio of 3.79 and a country’s yearly biomass generation of 2.65 Mt on a dry basis. The carbon stock of the standing biomass was estimated as 4.18 ± 1.02 Mg/ha, 5.44 ± 0.96 Mg/ha, and 5.13 ± 1.11 Mg/ha for Los Ríos, Guayas, and El Oro, respectively. The estimated carbon abatement capacity of the residual biomass is 3.92 MtCO₂/year. Three biomass estimation models were developed in Python®, using the data collected in this study and least squares fitting for exponential models of the form: Y = AXⁿ + C. The models showed good prediction capacity for Ecuadorian banana plants, with R² up to 0.85. It is expected that this study could serve as the basis for studies on developing sustainable conversion processes of banana residual biomass.