In this study, the tips of Myriophyllum aquaticum (M. aquaticum) plants were planted in open-top plastic bins and treated by simulated wastewater with various ammonium-N concentrations for three weeks. The contents of related carbohydrates and key enzyme activities of carbon metabolism were measured, and the mechanisms of carbon metabolism regulation of the ammonia tolerant plant M. aquaticum under different ammonium-N levels were investigated. The decrease in total nonstructural carbohydrates, soluble sugars, sucrose, fructose, reducing sugar and starch content of M. aquaticum were induced after treatment with ammonium-N during the entire stress process. This finding showed that M. aquaticum consumed a lot of carbohydrates to provide energy during the detoxification process of ammonia nitrogen. Moreover, ammonia-N treatment led to the increase in the activitives of invertase (INV) and sucrose synthase (SS), which contributed to breaking down more sucrose to provide substance and energy for plant cells. Meanwhile, the sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity was also enhanced under stress of high concentrations of ammonium-N, especially on day 21. The result indicated that under high-concentration ammonium-N stress, SPS activity can be significantly stimulated by regulating carbon metabolism of M. aquaticum, thereby accumulating sucrose in the plant body. Taken together, M. aquaticum can regulate the transformation of related carbohydrates in vivo by highly efficient expression of INV, SPS and SS, and effectively regulate the osmotic potential, thereby delaying the toxicity of ammonia nitrogen and improving the resistance to stress. It is very important to study carbon metabolism under ammonia stress to understand the ammonia nitrogen tolerance mechanism of M. aquaticum.

The growing use of octocrylene (OC) in sunscreens has posed a great threat to aquatic organisms. In the present study, to assess its reproductive toxicity and mechanism, paired Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) (F0) were exposed to OC at nominal concentrations of 5, 50, and 500 μg/L for 28 d. Significant increases were observed in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) of F0 medaka at 500 μg/L OC (p < 0.05) without significant differences in fecundity. The fertility was significantly decreased at all treatments (p < 0.05). Significant increases in the percent of mature oocytes were observed at 5 and 500 μg/L OC, in which contrary to the percent of spermatozoa (p < 0.05). The plasma sex hormones and vitellogenin levels significantly increased in males at all treatments and in females at 50 and 500 μg/L OC (p < 0.05). In addition, the levels of fshβ and lhβ in the brains and the levels of fshr, lhr and cyp17α in the gonads were significantly upregulated in males at all treatments (p < 0.05), in line with those of ar, erα, erβ and cyp19β in the brains of male and female. The upregulation of vtg in male and female livers was observed only at 500 μg/L OC and upregulation of star and hsd3β was observed in testis at all treatments (p < 0.05). Continued exposure to OC significantly induced increases in the time to hatching, morphological abnormality rates, and cumulative death rates of F1 embryos, inconsistent with body length of F1 larvae (p < 0.05). Therefore, the responses of the exposed fish at the biochemical and molecular levels indicated reproductive toxicity and estrogenic activity of OC, providing insights into the mechanism of OC.

Platinum-Group Elements (PGEs, i.e. platinum; Pt, palladium; Pd and rhodium; Rh) are extensively employed in the production of automotive catalytic converters to catalyze and control harmful emissions from exhaust fumes. But catalytic converters wear out over time and the emission of PGEs along with the exhaust fumes are nowadays known to be the main reason of the presence of PGEs in urban environments. PGEs contents were studied on three gasoline 3-way catalytic convertors with low, medium and high kilometers. PGEs emission factors via exhaust gases from Euro 3, 4, 5 and 6 gasoline and diesel vehicles, were monitored using catalytic converters. Results show variable content for PGEs for the three converters, in the ranges of 6–511, 0.5–2507 and 0.1–312 mg kg⁻¹ for Pt, Pd and Rh respectively. PGEs contents in different catalyst supports show the replacement of Pt by Pd in more recent converters. Analysis of the exhaust gas shows that catalytic converters expel up to 36.5 ± 3.8 ng km⁻¹ of Pt, 8.9 ± 1.1 ng km⁻¹ of Pd and 14.1 ± 1.5 ng km⁻¹ of Rh. Higher emissions of PGEs have been observed by gasoline Euro 3 vehicle, possibly due to the older technology of motorization and of the catalytic converter in this vehicle. Euro 3 and 4 diesel vehicles seem to emit more PGEs during urban cycles. Emission of PGEs has been also observed during the cold start of the majority of vehicles which seems to be the result of incomplete combustion during the rise of temperature in the engine. Higher PGEs emissions were also observed during motorway cycles in newer (Euro 4 and 5) petrol and diesel vehicles, conceivably due to the greater combustion as the engine speeds up during this cycle.

Lead is a dangerous pollutant that accumulates in plant tissues and causes serious damage to plant cell macromolecules. However, plants have evolved numerous tolerance mechanisms, including ectomycorrhizae, to maintain cellular Pb²⁺ at the lowest possible level. When those mechanisms are successful, Pb-exposed plants should exhibit no negative phenotypic changes. However, actual molecular-level plant adjustments at Pb concentrations below the toxicity threshold are largely unknown, similar to the molecular effects of protective ectomycorrhizal root colonization. In this study, we (1) determined the molecular adjustments in plants exposed to Pb but without visible Pb stress symptoms and (2) examined ectomycorrhizal root colonization (the role of fungal biofilters) with respect to molecular-level Pb perception by plant root cells. Biochemical, microscopic, proteomic and metabolomic studies were performed to determine the molecular status of Populus × canescens microcuttings grown in agar medium enriched with 0.75 mM Pb(NO₃)₂. Noninoculated and inoculated with Paxillus involutus poplars were analyzed in two independent comparisons of the corresponding control and Pb treatments. After six weeks of growth, Pb caused no negative phenotypic effects. No Pb-exposed poplar showed impaired growth or decreased leaf pigmentation. Proteomic signals of intensified Pb sequestration in the plant cell wall and vacuoles, cytoskeleton modifications, H⁺-ATPase-14-3-3 interactions, and stabilization of protein turnover in chronically Pb-exposed plants co-occurred with high metabolomic stability. There were no differentially abundant root primary metabolites; only a few differentially abundant root secondary metabolites and no Pb-triggered ROS burst were observed. Our results strongly suggest that proteome adjustments targeting Pb sequestration and ROS scavenging, which are considerably similar but less intensive in ectomycorrhizal poplars than in control poplars due to the P. involutus biofilter (as confirmed in a mineral study), were responsible for the metabolomic and phenotypic stability of poplars exposed to chronic mild Pb stress.

There is limited research on the ingestion of microplastic particles (MPs) by fish from the southern part of the Mediterranean Sea. This study provides the occurrence of small MPs (≤3 μm) in the gastrointestinal tract and muscle of adult benthopelagic fish Serranus scriba (L.1758), caught along Tunisian coasts. MPs were extracted from selected tissues using a potassium hydroxide digestion method (KOH 10%) and then quantified, and their chemical structure was characterized through Raman microspectroscopy. The results highlighted that MPs were present in all samples. The average abundance of MPs per gram of fish tissue identified through successive filters of 3 μm, 1.2 μm, and 0.45 μm differed significantly among the sites. The properties of the MPs extracted indicated that polyethylene-vinyl-acetate (PEVA: 33.45%), high density polyethylene (HD-PE: 17.33%), and fragments were the most abundant plastic types and shape found, respectively. Among those, most MPs were found at a size class of 3–1.2 μm (∼60%), especially in the muscle, suggesting a high transfer of MPs into the human diet. Our field work also aimed to explore the effects observed in the gastrointestinal tract with a battery of biomarkers assessing oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. The preliminary results of this study showed the existence of a link between small MPs, sites, and their associated urban activities and induced oxidative stress. However, more detailed studies are required to evaluate the transfer of MPs into tissues and the potential impacts of this transfer on human health.

Sawdust wastes were used as precursors to prepare adsorbents by combustion and pyrolysis for experimental and mechanism studies and determine the potential of biomass extracted from agro-industrial residues for Pb-polluted soil remediation. Pot experiments were conducted on contaminated soils near Pb–Zn mining with sawdust ash (SA) and sawdust biochar (SB) in different proportions and dosage ratios. Studies have indicated that the application of biomass materials can enhance the adsorption, complexation and precipitation of Pb cations in soil and reduce the mobility of Pb. The concentrations of SPLP-Pb and DTPA-extractable Pb in amended soils were the lowest under 1% 1:2 and 5% 1:1 treatment, respectively. Results of fraction extraction and XANES analysis showed that the materials change the main forms of Pb in soil. Moreover, the binding behavior of Pb with organic matter increases the proportion of Pb (Ac)₂, leading to the transformation of high toxicity Pb-compounds into precipitates and complexes. The remediation methods of 2% 1:2 and 5% 1:2 were better than those of other methods in stabilizing Pb in soil. This study indicated that heat-treated sawdust can be used for Pb-polluted soil remediation, which is a type of environmental remediation measure with considerable ecological potential.

Periphyton, composed of algae, bacteria, protozoa, epiphytes, and detritus, is widely distributed on the surfaces of paddy soils. Little is known about the interactions between the periphyton and arsenic (As) in the paddy soil. In the present study, model paddy ecosystems with and without periphyton were set up to explore the effects of periphyton on As migration and transformation in soil. According to the results, periphyton played dual roles in the mobility of As in soil. Periphyton on the surface of paddy soil could significantly increase the mobility and bioavailability of As in soils in the rice tillering stage because of the increased pH and the decreased Eh. The As uptake by rice also increased in the presence of periphyton. However, a significant fraction of the released As was further entrapped by the periphyton, significantly decreasing As concentration in pore water. As biotransformation genes, including aioA, arrA, arsC, and arsM, were identified in periphyton, with arsM being the most abundant in periphyton and soil. Periphyton significantly decreased the abundance of aioA, but increased the abundance of arsC in soils. Cupriavidus and Afipia, which are involved in As(V) cytoplasmic reduction, significantly increased in the presence of periphyton. Periphyton exerted minor effects on the highly abundant and predominant bacteria but had major effects on the less abundant bacteria in the paddy soil. The results of the present study could facilitate the regulation of As contamination in paddy soil, and enhance our understanding of the role of periphyton in the As biogeochemical cycle.

Rapid accumulation of aerosol nitrate (NO3−) contributes to haze pollution; however, studies quantifying NO3− formation mechanisms remain scarce. To explore aerosol nitrate formation pathways, total suspended particulate (TSP) samples were collected in Beijing during the spring of 2013, and the concentration of NO3− and δ¹⁸O- NO3− value were analyzed. The NO3− concentrations on polluted days (PD) were higher than those on non-polluted days (NPD). Furthermore, higher δ¹⁸O- NO3− values were observed on PD (86.8 ± 8.1‰) as compared with NPD (73.7 ± 11.0‰) suggest that more nitrate was produced by pathways with relative high δ¹⁸O–HNO₃ values during PD. Based on the calculated δ¹⁸O–HNO₃ values from different formation pathways and the observed δ¹⁸O- NO3− values, the possible fractional contributions of HNO₃ formed via various pathways to TSP NO3− were estimated using the Bayesian isotope mixing model. The δ¹⁸O- NO3− constrained calculations suggest that the pathways of N₂O₅ + H₂O/Cl⁻, NO₃ + VOCs, and ClNO₃ + H₂O possibly contributed 53%–89% to nitrate production during PD. During NPD, the NO₂ + OH pathway produced 37%–69% of the NO3−. Using the δ¹⁸O- NO3− value combined with the isotope mixing model is a promising approach for exploring NO3− formation pathways.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play important roles in water purification but are also important source of aerosols. However, the relationship between aerosol characteristics and wastewater treatment process remains poorly understood. In this study, aerosols were collected over a 24-month period from a WWTP using a modified anaerobic-anoxic-oxic process. The aerated tank (AerT) was characterized by the highest respiratory fraction (RF) concentrations (861–1525 CFU/m³) and proportions (50.76%–65.96%) of aerosol particles. Fourteen core potential pathogens and 15 toxic metal(loid)s were identified in aerosols. Mycobacterium was the genus that aerosolized most easily in fine grid, pre-anoxic tank, and AerT. High wastewater treatment efficiency may increase the emission of RF and core potential pathogens. The median size of activated sludge, richness of core potential pathogens in wastewater, and total suspended particulates were the most influential factors directly related to the RF proportions, core community of potential pathogens, and composition of toxic metal(loid)s in WWTP aerosols, respectively. Relative humidity, temperature, input and removal of biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and mixed liquor suspended solids could also directly or indirectly affect the aerosol characteristics. This study enhances the mechanistic understanding of linking aerosol characteristics to treatment processes and has important implications for targeted manipulation.

After the initial outbreak in China, the diffusion in Italy of SARS-CoV-2 is exhibiting a clear regional trend with more elevated frequency and severity of cases in Northern areas. Among multiple factors possibly involved in such geographical differences, a role has been hypothesized for atmospheric pollution. We provide additional evidence on the possible influence of air quality, particularly in terms of chronicity of exposure on the spread viral infection in Italian regions. Actual data on Covid-19 outbreak in Italian provinces and corresponding long-term air quality evaluations, were obtained from Italian and European agencies, elaborated and tested for possible interactions. Our elaborations reveal that, beside concentrations, the chronicity of exposure may influence the anomalous variability of SARS-CoV-2 in Italy. Data on distribution of atmospheric pollutants (NO₂, O₃, PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀) in Italian regions during the last 4 years, days exceeding regulatory limits, and years of the last decade (2010–2019) in which the limits have been exceeded for at least 35 days, highlight that Northern Italy has been constantly exposed to chronic air pollution. Long-term air-quality data significantly correlated with cases of Covid-19 in up to 71 Italian provinces (updated April 27, 2020) providing further evidence that chronic exposure to atmospheric contamination may represent a favourable context for the spread of the virus. Pro-inflammatory responses and high incidence of respiratory and cardiac affections are well known, while the capability of this coronavirus to bind particulate matters remains to be established. Atmospheric and environmental pollution should be considered as part of an integrated approach for sustainable development, human health protection and prevention of epidemic spreads but in a long-term and chronic perspective, since adoption of mitigation actions during a viral outbreak could be of limited utility.