This study reports the shapes, dimensional classes, types and counts of microplastics (MPs) found in 23 individuals of N. norvegicus collected from two wild populations of the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean basin). The focus was on three different anatomical compartments (gut, hepatopancreas and tail), which were analysed separately. MPs were found in all the investigated individuals with an average of about 17 MPs/individual. Fragments were predominant over fibers with a ratio of about 3:1. The majority of MPs were in the dimensional range 50–100 μm. The predominant polymers were polyester, polyamide 6, polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene, which together constitute about 61% of all the MPs found. Fragments were more concentrated in the hepatopancreas, with no significant difference between gut and tail, while fibers were more concentrated in the gut than in the tail with hepatopancreas somehow in between. The dimensional class of the MPs influences their anatomical distribution. There were no statistical differences among individuals from the two sampling sites. Sex of the individual did not influence the level of retained MPs, while length had a very marginal effect. The information reported here contributes to understanding of the possible risks linked to human consumption of different tissues from contaminated Norway lobsters.

Selenium (Se) and arsenic (As) are toxic contaminants in surface water and drinking water. The human body needs little quantity of Se, but too high dose is not allowed. Metal oxides such as iron oxides were used for adsorption or co-precipitation removal of As from water. However, the regeneration and stability problems of metals oxides sorbents are unsatisfactory , and there is not enough adsorbent for Se removal from water also. We developed the acrylic amine fiber (AAF) for adsorption reomval of Se and As from water and systematically studied the influenced factors. Batch experiments were conducted for investigating the adsorption edges, while column filtration tests were employed for dynamic application edges. At neutral pH, the Langmuir isotherm fittings gave the maximum adsorption capacities of As(V), As(III), Se(VI) and Se(IV) are 270.3, 40.5, 256.4, and 158.7 mg/g, respectively. Effects of co-existing inorganic anions on As(V) and Se(VI) adsorption using AAF gave the order of PO₄³⁻ > SO₄²⁻ > NO₃⁻ > SiO₃²⁻, while different organic acids obey the order of citric acid > oxalic acid > formic acid. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed the PO₄³⁻ and SO₄²⁻ competition mechanisms are electrostatic repulsions, while the competition of organic acids derived from acid-base reaction between the carboxyl group and the amino group. Column filtration and regeneration results showed that the spent AAF can be regenerated using 0.5 mol/L HCl solution and reused with no much decrease of adsorption capacity.

Water eutrophication caused by harmful algal blooms (HABs) occurs worldwide. It causes huge economic losses and has serious and potentially life-threatening effects on human health. In this study, the bacterium Raoultella sp. S1 with high algicidal efficiency against the harmful algae Microcystis aeruginosa was isolated from eutrophic water. The results showed that Raoultella sp. S1 initially flocculated the algae, causing the cells to sediment within 180 min and then secreted soluble algicidal substances that killed the algal cells completely within 72 h. The algicidal activity was stable across the temperature range −85.0 to 85.0 °C and across the pH range 3.00–11.00. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the crumpling and fragmentation of cells algal cells during the flocculation and lysis stages. The antioxidant system was activated under conditions of oxidative stress, causing the increased antioxidant enzymes activities. Meanwhile, the oxidative stress response triggered by the algicidal substances markedly increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) content. We investigated the content of Chl-a and the relative expression levels of genes related to photosynthesis, verifying that the algicidal compounds attack the photosynthetic system by degrading the photosynthetic pigment and inhibiting the expression of key genes. Also, the results of photosynthetic efficiency and relative electric transport rate confirmed that the photosynthetic system in algal cells was severely damaged within 24 h. The algicidal effect of Raoultella sp. S1 against Microcystis aeruginosa was evaluated by analyzing the physiological response and photosynthetic system impairment of the algal cells. The concentration of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) slightly increased during the process of algal cells ruptured, and then decreased below its initial level due to the biodegradation of Raoultella sp. S1. To further investigate the algicidal mechanism of Raoultella sp. S1, the main components in the cell-free supernatant was analyzed by UHPLC-TOF-MS. Several low-molecular-weight organic acids might be responsible for the algicidal activity of Raoultella sp. S1. It is concluded that Raoultella sp. S1 has the potential to control Microcystis aeruginosa blooms.

Cavity nesting bees are proficient and important pollinators that can augment or replace honey bee pollination services for some crops. Relatively little is known about specific pesticide concentrations present in cavity nesting insect reed matrices and associated potential risks to cavity nesting bees. Nesting substrates (Phragmites australis reeds in bundles) were deployed in an agriculturally intensive landscape to evaluate colonization and agrochemical exposure among cavity nesting pollinators over two consecutive field seasons. Composition of insect species colonizing reeds within nest bundles varied considerably; those placed near beef cattle feed yards were dominated by wasps (93% of the total number of individuals occupying reed nest bundles), whereas nest bundles deployed in cropland-dominated landscapes were colonized primarily by leaf cutter bees (71%). All nesting/brood matrices in reeds (mud, leaves, brood, pollen) contained agrochemicals. Mud used in brood chamber construction at feed yard sites contained 21 of 23 agrochemicals included in analysis and >70% of leaf substrate stored in reeds contained at least one agrochemical. Moxidectin was most frequently detected across all reed matrices from feed yard sites, and moxidectin concentrations in nonviable larvae were more than four times higher than those quantified in viable larvae. Agrochemical concentrations in leaf material and pollen were also quantified at levels that may have induced toxic effects among developing larvae. To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize agrochemical concentrations in multiple reed matrices provisioned by cavity-nesting insects. Use of nest bundles revealed that cavity nesting pollinators in agriculturally intensive regions are exposed to agrochemicals during all life stages, at relatively high frequencies, and at potentially lethal concentrations. These results demonstrate the utility of nest bundles for characterizing risks to cavity nesting insects inhabiting agriculturally intensive regions.

Satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) has been widely used to predict ground-level fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) concentrations, although its utility can be limited due to missing values. Despite recent attempts to address this issue by imputing missing satellite AOD values, the uncertainty associated with the AOD imputation and its impacts on PM₂.₅ predictions have been understudied. To fill this gap, we developed a missing data imputation model for the AOD derived from the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) and PM₂.₅ prediction models using several machine learning methods. We also examined how the uncertainty associated with the imputed AOD and a choice of machine learning algorithm were propagated to PM₂.₅ predictions. The application of the proposed imputation model to the data from New York State in the U.S. achieved a superior performance than those related studies, with a cross-validated R² of 0.94 and a Root Mean Square Error of 0.017. We also found that there was considerable uncertainty in PM₂.₅ predictions associated with the use of imputed AOD values, although it was not as high as the uncertainty from the machine learning algorithms used in PM₂.₅ prediction models. We concluded that the quantification of uncertainties for both AOD imputation and its propagation to AOD-based PM₂.₅ prediction is necessary for accurate and reliable PM₂.₅ predictions.

Low concentrations of vanadium (V) are essential for various plant species but it becomes toxic to plants, animals, and humans at high levels. A significant amount of V is currently being emitted into the atmosphere due to intensified industrial processing. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating the effect of raw (BC) and HNO₃-modified biochar (OBC) derived from rice straw on growth, photosynthetic assimilation, relative chlorophyll content, SPAD index, ion leakage, enzyme activities, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), bioavailability and V uptake by rice in a laboratory-scale experiment. Characterization of OBC and BC by FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), SEM (scan electron microscopy), BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller), elemental analysis, and z-potential revealed a substantial difference between both of them. The V-stress significantly reduced the rice plant growth, biomass yield, chlorophyll parameters, root length and surface area. Under V-stress conditions, root accumulated more V than shoots and OBC significantly improved the above-mentioned parameters, while, decreasing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plants. The antioxidant function and gene expression levels induced by V-stress and OBC application further increased the expression profile of three genes (SOD, POD, and CAT) encoding antioxidant enzymes and one metal-tolerant conferring gene (OsFSD1). In summary, these results demonstrated the critical role of OBC in mitigating the detrimental effects of high V-stress on rice growth and enhancing plant defence against V-stress.

Vertical measurements of ozone (O₃) within the 3000-m lower troposphere were obtained using an O₃ lidar to investigate the contribution of the interactions between the transport and boundary layer processes to the surface O₃ levels in urban Shanghai, China during July 23–28, 2017. An extremely severe pollution episode with a maximum hourly O₃ mixing ratio of 160.4 ppb was observed. In addition to enhanced local photochemical production, both downward and advection transport in the lower troposphere may have played important roles in forming the pollution episode. The O₃-rich air masses in the lower free troposphere primarily originated from central China and the northern Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. The downward transport of O₃ from the lower free troposphere may have an average contribution of up to 49.1% to the daytime (09:00–16:00 local time) surface O₃ in urban Shanghai during the pollution episode (July 23–26, 2017). As for the advection transport, large amounts of O₃ were transported outward from Shanghai in the planetary boundary layer under the influence of southeasterly winds during the field study. In this condition, the boundary-layer O₃ that was transported downward from the free troposphere in Shanghai could be transported back to the northern YRD region and accumulated therein, leading to the occurrence of severe O₃ pollution events over the whole YRD region. Our results indicate that effective regional emission control measures are urgently required to mitigate O₃ pollution in the YRD region.

Paraquat (PQ) is a toxic, organic herbicide for which there is no specific antidote. Although banned in some countries, it is still used as an irreplaceable weed killer in others. The lack of understanding of the precise mechanism of its toxicity has hindered the development of treatments for PQ exposure. While toxicity is thought to be related to PQ-induced oxidative stress, antioxidants are limited in their ability to ameliorate the untoward biological responses to this agent. Summarized in this review are data on the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADME/T) of PQ, focusing on the essential roles of individual transporters and enzymes in these processes. Based on these findings, strategies are proposed to design and test specific and effective antidotes for the clinical management of PQ poisoning.

In this biomonitoring study, we evaluated the concentrations of 8 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 11 organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), 33 brominated flame retardants (BFRs), 7 novel brominated and chlorinated flame retardants (novel FRs) and 30 per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) in human serum samples (n = 274). A total of 89 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were measured in blood serum samples of city policemen living in three large cities and their adjacent areas (Ostrava, Prague, and Ceske Budejovice) in the Czech Republic. All samples were collected during the year 2019 in two sampling periods (spring and autumn). The identification/quantification of PCBs, OCPs, BFRs, novel FRs and PFAS was performed by means of gas chromatography coupled to (tandem) mass spectrometry (GC–MS/(MS)) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). The most frequently detected pollutants were perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), 2,2′,3,4,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB 138), 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB 153), 2,2′,3,3′,4,4′,5-heptachlorobiphenyl (CB 170), 2,2′,3,4,4′,5,5′-heptachlorobiphenyl (CB 180), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) quantified in 100% of serum samples. In the serum samples, the concentrations of determined POPs were in the range of 0.108–900 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight (lw) for PCBs, 0.106–1016 ng g⁻¹ lw for OCPs, <0.1–618 ng g⁻¹ lw for FRs and <0.01–18.3 ng mL⁻¹ for PFAS, respectively. Locality, sampling season, and age were significantly associated with several POP concentrations. One of the important conclusions was that within the spring sampling period, statistically significant higher concentrations of CB 170 and CB 180 were observed in the samples from Ostrava (industrial area) compared to Prague and Ceske Budejovice. Older policemen had higher concentrations of five PCBs and two OCPs in blood serum.

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) affects isoprenoid emissions, and floral emissions in particular, which may result in potential impacts on the interactions of plants with other organisms. The effects of ozone (O₃) on isoprenoid emissions have been investigated for many years, while knowledge on O₃ effects on floral emissions is still scarce and the relevant mechanism has not been clarified so far. We investigated the effects of O₃ on floral and foliar isoprenoid emissions (mainly isoprene, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) and their synthase substrates from three rose varieties (CH, Rosa chinensis Jacq. var. chinensis; SA, R. hybrida ‘Saiun’; MO, R. hybrida ‘Monica Bellucci’) at different exposure durations. Results indicated that the O₃-induced stimulation after short-term exposure (35 days after the beginning of O₃ exposure) was significant only for sesquiterpene emissions from flowers, while long-term O₃ exposure (90 days after the beginning of O₃ exposure) significantly decreased both foliar and floral monoterpene and sesquiterpene emissions. In addition, the observed decline of emissions under long-term O₃ exposure resulted from the limitation of synthase substrates, and the responses of emissions and substrates varied among varieties, with the greatest variation in the O₃-sensitive variety. These findings provide important insights on plant isoprenoid emissions and species selection for landscaping, especially in areas with high O₃ concentration.