Squids are globally distributed. Hg-contaminated squids may have high risks on humans. With abundant Se (antagonistic effect on Hg), the risks can be reduced. We collected squids around the world (Northwest Pacific Ocean, Southeast Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean). Concentrations of Hg and Se were region-based and tissue-based. The higher content of Se were, the lower relative Hg levels were. The correlation between Se:Hg and Se was the strongest in the digestive gland. The values of Se:Hg and THQ all confirm that the health risk was lower in samples with higher concentrations of Se. Despite the risk assessment by Se:Hg, BRV and THQ analysis showed no risk when consumed in moderation, the maximum daily intake is provided based on Monte Carlo simulation. In future, when evaluating the risks cause by Hg exposure and providing the recommended daily amount, it may need to concurrent consideration of Se levels.

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous and not even remote protected islands are safe from it. Floating debris can adsorb toxic compounds that concentrate on their surface, being available to the animals that ingest them. For this reason, a baseline study of plastic pollution was conducted in the remote Revillagigedo Archipelago, in the Mexican Pacific Ocean. In 47 manta net samples an average of 4.8 plastics/1000m² was found, 73% of the pieces being <5 mm. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common polymers found. The chemical analysis of organic pollutants revealed that organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls are adsorbed on the plastics collected in the area. Filter feeding megafauna such as humpback whales, manta rays and whale sharks could ingest contaminated micro and macroplastics. Plastics were found also on the beach, where they are available to the ingestion by terrestrial animals, including endemic species endangered to extinction.

Marine litter accumulates in coastal dunes and causes severe damages to these fragile ecosystems. This study analyzed the composition, cover and distribution of marine litter and its relation to vegetation cover in a Mediterranean dune system, located in a protected area facing the Ligurian Sea (Northern Italy). We sampled twenty-two permanent multiscale plots in spring and autumn. Litter was detected in all plots and artificial polymer materials were the dominant type (85%). Litter categories increased from spring to autumn mainly due to seaside tourism. The largest spatial scale (16 m²) explained the variability in waste composition better than the smaller ones (4 m², 1 m²). Finally, the vegetation cover correlated inversely with the turnover of litter categories, suggesting that plants may act as a barrier to litter transport by trapping it, and that they play a role in the spatio-temporal dynamics of coastal litter.

The Puerto Velero Marina, located on the central Caribbean coast of Colombia, is an example of an artificial structure that serves as a substrate for a vulnerable community such as cnidarians (Hydrozoa and Anthozoa). This study provides the first assessment of corals and other cnidarians inhabiting artificial marine habitats in a marginal environment of the Caribbean of Colombia. The Puerto Velero Marina was built into a 7 km² sand spit generated by sedimentation at the mouth of the Magdalena River. In this study were recorded 14 cnidarian species, among which were found 48 small colonies of scleractinian corals such as Porites, Siderastrea, Phyllangia, and Astrangia. This initial biodiversity assessment of the artificial structure provides a baseline that highlights the importance of further monitoring programs to identify non-native species that could reach this kind of hard structures.

The present study aimed to determine the total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), the carbon‑nitrogen ratio (TOC/TN), carbon isotope (δ¹³C), and nitrogen isotope (δ¹⁵N) in five sediment cores collected from upstream to downstream of the Rio Serinhaem estuary, State of Bahia, Northeast Brazil, in order to investigate the origin of the deposited organic matter (OM).Significant positive correlation was found between TOC and NT (rₛ = 0.75); TOC/TN and TOC (rₛ = 0.64); δ¹⁵N and TOC (rₛ = 0.72); and δ¹⁵N and TOC/TN (rₛ = 0.63). The values of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N found are characteristic of terrestrial sources. The TOC/TN ratio confirmed the data found for δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N, which recorded the origin of organic matter from terrestrial C3 type plants. Upstream of the estuary, the highest means of TOC/TN were found (T1 = 36.9 and T2 = 24.4), as reflected by the increase in TOC content or reduction in TN. The OM along the estuary is predominantly from plants with a C3 photosynthetic pattern, indicating that the Serinhaem River estuary is considered a relatively well-preserved environment.

Litter reduction in the coastal and marine environment represents a major challenge but must be prioritized to preserve biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as the goods and services that humans derive from seas and oceans. This paper reviews the available global scientific literature focusing on marine beach litter and tracks its evolution and trends by combining social network analysis and bibliometrics. The relationships and co-occurrences among authors, countries and keywords retrieved from the Scopus abstract and citation database are presented. A total of 1765 publications are analysed: the majority being journal articles. Results reveal the notable worldwide increase in scientific interest in beach litter in the last decade, as well as its multidisciplinary perspectives. This information could be beneficial for the processes that support the improvement of international efforts for beach litter monitoring, removal, and management activities.

Based on our discussions with fishermen and analysis of catches from professional fishing, this work confirms the presence of the American blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the southwest Mediterranean and highlights its invasion of Mellah lagoon in Algeria. The number and frequency of occurrence of this species in fishing gear (up to 10 individuals per fyke net), the presence of juveniles and ovigerous females as well as its presence in the local market, show that it is well established. The possible impact of C. sapidus on the local environment and native species, and the prospects for its fishing exploitation are discussed in the light of the current knowledge.

The toxic benthic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis ovata causes harmful algal blooms. During five years, citizens have monitored blooms of O. cf. ovata along the coast of Molfetta city facing the Adriatic Sea. Coscinodiscus spp., Licmophora spp., Gyrosigma spp. and Achnantes spp. diatoms were also quantified. O. cf. ovata was detected from spring up to winter, however, blooms always occurred in summer. Correlation with nine weather parameters was relatively strong with seawater temperature, dew point and air temperature. Dew point has never been reported before as key parameter. Blooms of O. cf. ovata were preceded by lag period during which conditions permitted proliferation but no proliferation observed. Furthermore, dew point, seawater and air temperature only moderately correlated with proliferation of Coscinodiscus spp. However, correlation between blooms of O. cf. ovata and Coscinodiscus spp. was relatively strong. Correlation between proliferation of O. cf. ovata and Gyrosigma spp. was very weak, while moderate and negative with Licmophora spp. or Achnantes spp.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Adsorbent-based microextraction is a dynamic and simple sample preparation that allows for simultaneous extraction and enrichment of targeted analytes from a sample matrix. Its versatility, efficiency, and compliance with green analysis have contributed to its popularity against conventional solid-phase extraction. This review focuses on the current state of the art, future trends in experimental design, and critical aspects of adsorbent-based microextraction techniques considered for extraction and preconcentration of different classes of micropollutants in environmental waters. RECENT FINDINGS: Despite solid-phase microextraction has shown exceptional flexibility in routine microscale extraction, the other adsorbent-based microanalytical work continues to experience an enormous increase in innovation. Discussions are focused on recent studies utilizing different modes include dispersive, magnetic, bar sorptive, membrane-protected, and thin film for introducing adsorbents in an aqueous media. Cogently, the developed micro-scale procedure using functionalized adsorbent has shown distinct advantages over conventional methods. Modifications were aimed at shortening the time for analysis, minimal waste production, and robustness over the complexity of sample matrices. Adsorbent selection is now widening from commercial materials like activated carbon to newly synthesized materials such as metal-organic framework. The final section discusses the current progress on hybrid approaches and the intended future directions to further explore and popularize the adsorbent-based microextraction. This review guides the audiences with an introductory, succinct discussion of the basic concepts of the adsorbent-based microextraction and the success story of the high-throughput real sample analysis.