International audience | Despite restrictions in emissions, heavy metals may remain a major environmental issue due to their numerous sources and their persistence. Here, we assessed current levels of 4 metals (Copper, Cadmium, Lead, Zinc) in the feathers of 91 feral pigeons (Columba livia) from 7 sites in the urbanized region of Paris. Elements were detected in all pigeons, indicating that metals persist in urbanized areas. The ratio between metal concentrations in the feathers vs. in the environment calculated using data from other studies was 2-90 times higher for cadmium than for other metals, underlying its ecological importance. Concentrations in the feathers depended on locality, suggesting that pigeons remain in local habitats at this restricted scale, as expected from previous observations. Overall, our study suggests that urban feral pigeons may represent a good model system for metal biomonitoring. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International audience | Despite restrictions in emissions, heavy metals may remain a major environmental issue due to their numerous sources and their persistence. Here, we assessed current levels of 4 metals (Copper, Cadmium, Lead, Zinc) in the feathers of 91 feral pigeons (Columba livia) from 7 sites in the urbanized region of Paris. Elements were detected in all pigeons, indicating that metals persist in urbanized areas. The ratio between metal concentrations in the feathers vs. in the environment calculated using data from other studies was 2-90 times higher for cadmium than for other metals, underlying its ecological importance. Concentrations in the feathers depended on locality, suggesting that pigeons remain in local habitats at this restricted scale, as expected from previous observations. Overall, our study suggests that urban feral pigeons may represent a good model system for metal biomonitoring. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of Pb pollution on cattle and sheep raised in an ancient mining area were studied through the use of blood Pb (PbB) levels and δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD) activity. Lead levels in livestock blood from the mining area (n=110) were significantly elevated when compared to the controls (n=79). In 91.4% of cattle (n=58) and 13.5% of sheep (n=52) sampled in the mining area, PbB levels corresponded to subclinical exposure (6–35μg/dl). Two young cattle (<2 years) from the mining area (n=5) had PbB levels indicative of clinical poisoning (>35μg/dl). Elevated PbB was also accompanied by δ-ALAD activity inhibition in blood, which confirms that measurable effects of Pb poisoning were taking place. Observed PbB levels suggest that a potential risk to human consumers of beef from the Pb polluted areas may also exist, as has been shown previously for game meat from the same mining area.

Dissolved waterborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were assessed over a period of one year at five sampling sites in a model industrial region in the Czech Republic using silicone rubber passive samplers. The spatial variability of POPs in the studied region in water was small and diffusive pollution sources predominate. Concentrations of the most volatile PAHs decreased with increasing water temperature in the whole region, which reflects the seasonality in atmospheric deposition. The dissolved concentrations of more hydrophobic PAHs, PCBs and OCPs in and downstream the industrial zone are related to desorption from suspended particles. Upstream the industrial area, a positive correlation of dissolved and particle-bound contamination was observed only for DDT metabolites and hexachlorobenzene. Calculated fugacities in water and bottom sediment indicated a fair degree of equilibrium between these compartments for OCPs and PCBs, whereas sediment represented a potential source of PAHs.

Environmental contamination by arsenic constitutes a problem in many countries, and its accumulation in food crops may pose health complications for humans. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are involved at various levels in the mechanism of responding to environmental stress in higher plants. Using Arabidopsis seedlings exposed to different arsenate concentrations, physiological and biochemical parameters were analyzed to determine the status of ROS and RNS metabolisms. Arsenate provoked a significant reduction in growth parameters and an increase in lipid oxidation. These changes were accompanied by an alteration in antioxidative enzymes and the nitric oxide (NO) metabolism, with a significant increase in NO content, S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) activity and protein tyrosine nitration as well as a concomitant reduction in glutathione and S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) content. Our results indicate that 500 μM arsenate (AsV) causes nitro-oxidative stress in Arabidopsis, being the glutathione reductase and the GSNOR activities clearly affected.

The diversity of epiphytic lichens and the accumulation of selected trace elements in the lichen Flavoparmelia caperata L. (Hale) were used as indicators of pollution around a landfill in central Italy along 14 years of waste management. Lichens revealed an increased deposition for some elements (i.e., Cd, Cr, Fe and Ni) and a decrease of the lichen diversity at sites facing the landfill after an enlargement of the dumping area. However, the results allowed to exclude a significant increase in heavy metal depositions in the surrounding area and suggested that successful waste management may be associated with environmental quality. It is concluded that lichen monitoring might provide essential information to enhance the implementation of ecological impact assessment, supporting industrial regulatory procedures, also when waste management is concerned.

Tree-ring width of Picea abies was studied along an altitudinal gradient in the Harz Mountains, Germany, in an area heavily affected by SO₂-related forest decline in the second half of the 20th century. Spruce trees of exposed high-elevation forests had earlier been shown to have reduced radial growth at high atmospheric SO₂ levels. After the recent reduction of the SO₂ load due to clean air acts, we tested the hypothesis that stem growth recovered rapidly from the SO₂ impact. Our results from two formerly damaged high-elevation spruce stands support this hypothesis suggesting that the former SO₂-related spruce decline was primarily due to foliar damage and not to soil acidification, as the deacidification of the (still acidic) soil would cause a slow growth response. Increasing temperatures and deposited N accumulated in the topsoil are likely additional growth-promoting factors of spruce at high elevations after the shortfall of SO₂ pollution.

Naphthenic acids (NA) have been identified as harmful environmental contaminants that influence survival, growth and development of wildlife. Amphibian larvae are particularly susceptible to waterborne contaminants, but little information exists regarding exposure of amphibian embryos or tadpoles to NA. Our results demonstrate that embryos of Lithobates pipiens and Silurana tropicalis exposed to 2–4 mg/l of a commercial NA blend suffer significant reductions (32% and 25%, respectively) in growth and development upon hatching. Increased incidences of deformities were observed in exposed individuals of both species, but were only significant in L. pipiens. Embryos suffered 100% mortality following exposure to 6 mg/l NAs, and narcosis at lower concentrations. LC50 estimates were 4.10 mg/l for 72-h exposure in L. pipiens and 4.13, 3.51, and 2.95 mg/l for 24-, 48-, and 72-h exposure in S. tropicalis. These data suggest that exposure to NAs at environmentally realized concentrations may negatively affect tadpole populations.

Three beehive matrices, sampled in eighteen apiaries from West France, were analysed for the presence of lead (Pb). Samples were collected during four different periods in both 2008 and 2009. Honey was the matrix the least contaminated by Pb (min = 0.004 μg g⁻¹; max = 0.378 μg g⁻¹; mean = 0.047 μg g⁻¹; sd = 0.057). The contamination of bees (min = 0.001 μg g⁻¹; max = 1.869 μg g⁻¹; mean = 0.223 μg g⁻¹; sd = 0.217) and pollen (min = 0.004 μg g⁻¹; max = 0.798 μg g⁻¹; mean = 0.240 μg g⁻¹; sd = 0.200) showed similar levels and temporal variations but bees seemed to be more sensitive bringing out the peaks of Pb contamination. Apiaries in urban and hedgerow landscapes appeared more contaminated than apiaries in cultivated and island landscapes. Sampling period had a significant effect on Pb contamination with higher Pb concentrations determined in dry seasons.

Total cadmium (Cd) concentrations in four ornithogenic coral-sand sedimentary profiles displayed a strong positive correlation with guano-derived phosphorus, but had no correlation with plant-originated organic matter in the top sediments. These results indicate that the total Cd distributions were predominantly controlled by guano input. Bioavailable Cd and zinc (Zn) had a greater input rate in the top sediments with respect to total Cd and total Zn, and a positive correlation with total organic carbon (TOC) derived from plant humus. Multi-regression analysis showed that the total Cd and TOC explained over 80% of the variation of bioavailable Cd, suggesting that both guano and plant inputs could significantly influence the distribution of bioavailable Cd, and that plant biocycling processes contribute more to the recent increase of bioavailable Cd. A pollution assessment indicates that the Yongle archipelago is moderately to strongly polluted with guano-derived Cd.