The pesticide risk assessment for earthworms is currently performed using standardized tests, the model species Eisenia fetida, and the analyses of the data obtained are performed with ad hoc statistical tools. We assessed the impact of two fungicides on the entire growth pattern of the earthworm species Aporrectodea caliginosa, which is highly representative of agricultural fields. Individuals of three different ages (from hatching to 56 days old) were exposed to Cuprafor micro® (copper oxychloride) and Swing® Gold (dimoxystrobin and epoxiconazole). Data were analyzed with an energy-based toxicodynamic model coupled with a toxicokinetic model. The copper fungicide caused a drastic growth inhibition once the no effect concentration (NEC), estimated at 65 mg kg⁻¹ of copper, was exceeded. The Swing® Gold negatively affected the growth with NEC values estimated at 0.387 mg kg⁻¹ and 0.128 mg kg⁻¹ for the dimoxystrobin and the epoxiconazole in this fungicide formulation, respectively. The time-profile of the effects on A. caliginosa individuals was fully accounted for by the model, whatever their age of exposure. Furthermore, toxicity data analyses, supported by measurements of fungicide concentrations in earthworm at the end of the experiment, allowed bettering understanding of the mechanisms of action of the fungicides towards earthworm growth.

Phosphorus (P) is a non-renewable resource extracted from phosphate rock to produce agricultural fertilizers. Since P is essential for life, it is important to preserve this resource and explore alternative sources of P to reduce its criticality. This study aimed to assess whether fertilizing with sludge-based phosphate fertilizers (SBPF) can be a suitable alternative to doing so with fertilizers produced from phosphate rock. Environmental impacts of production and land application of SBPF from four recovery processes were compared to those of two reference scenarios: triple super phosphate (TSP) and sewage sludge. To avoid bias when comparing scenarios, part of the environmental burden of wastewater treatment is allocated to sludge production. The CML-IA method was used to perform life cycle impact assessment. Results highlighted that production and land application of SBPF had higher environmental impacts than those of TSP due to the large amounts of energy and reactants needed to recover P, especially when sludge had a low P concentration. Certain environmental impacts of production and land application of sewage sludge were similar to those of SBPF. Sensitivity analysis conducted for cropping systems highlighted variability in potential application rates of sewage sludge or SBPF. Finally, because they contain lower contents of heavy metals than sewage sludge or TSP, SBPF are of great interest, but they require more mineral fertilizers to supplement their fertilization than sewage sludge. Thus, SBPF have advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered, since they may influence their use within fertilization practices.

Sedimentary organic matter (OM) origin and molecular composition provide useful information to understand carbon cycling in coastal wetlands. Core sediments from threors’ Contributionse transects along Ria Formosa lagoon intertidal zone were analysed using analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS) to determine composition, distribution and origin of sedimentary OM. The distribution of alkyl compounds (alkanes, alkanoic acids and alkan-2-ones), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lignin-derived methoxyphenols, linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), steranes and hopanes indicated OM inputs to the intertidal environment from natural—autochthonous and allochthonous—as well as anthropogenic. Several n-alkane geochemical indices used to assess the distribution of main OM sources (terrestrial and marine) in the sediments indicate that algal and aquatic macrophyte derived OM inputs dominated over terrigenous plant sources. The lignin-derived methoxyphenol assemblage, dominated by vinylguaiacol and vinylsyringol derivatives in all sediments, points to large OM contribution from higher plants. The spatial distributions of PAHs (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) showed that most pollution sources were mixed sources including both pyrogenic and petrogenic. Low carbon preference indexes (CPI > 1) for n-alkanes, the presence of UCM (unresolved complex mixture) and the distribution of hopanes (C₂₉–C₃₆) and steranes (C₂₇–C₂₉) suggested localized petroleum-derived hydrocarbon inputs to the core sediments. Series of LABs were found in most sediment samples also pointing to domestic sewage anthropogenic contributions to the sediment OM.

The representativeness of laboratory studies of the fate of pesticides in soil in field conditions is questionable. This study aimed at comparing the dissipation and bioavailability to earthworms of two fungicides, dimoxystrobin (DMX) and epoxiconazole (EPX), over 12 months under laboratory and field conditions. In both approaches, the fungicides were applied to the same loamy soil as a formulated mixture at several concentrations. We determined total DMX and EPX concentrations in the soil using exhaustive extraction, their environmental availability using mild extraction and their bioavailability through internal concentrations in exposed earthworms. The initial fungicide application appeared as much better controlled in terms of dose and homogeneity in the laboratory than in the field. One year after application, a similar dissipation rate was observed between the laboratory and field experiments (ca 80% and 60% for DMX and EPX, respectively). Similarly, the ratio of available/total concentrations in soil displayed the same trend whatever the duration and the conditions (field or lab), EPX being more available than DMX. Finally, the environmental bioavailability of the two fungicides to earthworms was heterogeneous in the field, but, in the laboratory, the bioaccumulation was evidenced to be dose-dependent only for DMX. Our findings suggest that the actual fate of the two considered fungicides in the environment is consistent with the one determined in the laboratory, although the conditions differed (e.g., presence of vegetation, endogeic earthworm species). This study allowed better understanding of the fate of the two considered active substances in the soil and underlined the need for more research dedicated to the link between environmental and toxicological bioavailability.

Frequent occurrences of pesticides in the environment have raised concerns that combined exposure to these chemicals may result in enhanced toxicity through additive or synergistic interaction between compounds. Spermatozoa and embryos of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, were exposed to different concentrations of a pesticide mixture with and without copper, mimicking the cocktail of pollutants occurring in the oyster culture area of Arcachon Bay. For the 1× exposure condition, measured concentration corresponds to a total concentration of 1.083 μg L⁻¹ for the mixture of 14 pesticides and to 6.330 μg L⁻¹ for copper (Cu). Several endpoints including larval abnormalities, DNA damage to spermatozoa and embryo and gene expression in D-larvae were investigated. Results demonstrated that pesticide mixtures in combination with or without copper induced a dose-dependent increase in embryotoxic and genotoxic effects on D-larvae from the lowest tested dose of 0.1×. Transcription of genes involved in anti-oxidative stress (cat), respiratory chain (coxI), metal detoxification (mt1 and mt2), and cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (p53) was found to be significantly downregulated while the xenobiotic biotransformation gene gst was significantly upregulated in embryos exposed to pesticide mixture with and without Cu. These findings raise the question of the possible impacts of mixtures of pesticides and metals on wild or farmed oyster populations from polluted coastal marine areas.

Filamentous fungi Trichoderma have been able to efficiently degrade fluoroquinolone antibiotics namely ciprofloxacin (CIP) and ofloxacin (OFL) as well as the fungicide climbazole (CLB) that are persistent in conventional activated sludge processes. All targeted compounds were biotransformed by whole cells of Trichoderma spp., exactly T. harzanium and T. asperellum, and biosorption played a limited role in their elimination. However, contrasting results were obtained with the two strains. T. asperellum was more efficient against CIP, with a 81% degradation rate in 13 days of incubation, while T. harzianum was more efficient against CLB, with a 91% degradation rate. While in the case of OFL, both strains showed same efficiency with degradation rate around 40%. Adding a cytochrome P450 enzyme inhibitor hardly resulted in the modification of degradation kinetics supporting the implication of extracellular enzymes in chemical biotransformation. Transformation products were identified by liquid chromatography–high resolution–mass spectrometry and transformation pathways were proposed. Biotransformation of selected compounds included hydroxylation, oxidation/reduction and N- and O-dealkylation reactions, similarly to those reported with white rot fungi. CIP underwent transformations at the piperazinyl ring through oxidation and conjugation reactions, while OFL mainly underwent hydroxylation processes and CLB carbonyl reduction into alcohol. Consequently, Trichoderma spp. likely possess a machinery of unspecific enzymes, which makes their application in removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products attractive.

The metal accumulation and antioxidant contents in flowers of wild specimens of European elder (Sambucus nigra L.), a famous medicinal plant and valuable component in the urban landscape, were determined. The total reflection X-ray fluorescence revealed the presence of K, Rb, Ca, Sr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn associated with flowers. A typical, large, non-industrial city with considerable traffic and atmospheric pollution resulting from smog was chosen as a place of sampling. Obtained results were correlated with selected parameters of soil and the intensity of surrounding traffic. The flowers were relatively rich in elements K, Ca, Cu, Rb, and antioxidants, while it did not accumulate heavy metals potentially bioavailable in the soil. The correlation between street traffic and the content of Fe, Cr, and Zn in elderflowers was revealed; the metal quantities were below levels harmful to humans. Flowers from the city center exhibited higher antioxidant and radical scavenging capacities comparing to plants from the areas of little traffic. The antioxidant parameters were negatively correlated with the silty fraction content and positively with the potentially bioavailable levels of Ti and Mn in soils and increased with the amount of Rb in the flowers. It was proven for the first time that the urban specimens of wild S. nigra can perform as a local source of beneficial flowers providing cost-effective support in disease prevention and treatment.

Activated carbons (ACs) from Pinus canariensis cones were developed by KOH chemical activation. The effect of the impregnation KOH/carbonized cones ratio (IR = 1, 2, or 3) and temperature (873, 973, 1073 K) on main chemical, textural, and morphological characteristics of the resulting ACs was systematically examined. CO₂ adsorption capacity from gaseous streams was evaluated by gravimetric adsorption tests, and the analysis of breakthrough curves was determined in a packed-bed column at 303 K and atmospheric pressure. Comparison of CO₂ adsorption capacities of the ACs at 273 K and 303 K at equilibrium showed that those samples developed at 973 K with IR = 3 (BET surface area ~ 1900 m² g⁻¹) attained the highest values (6.4 mmol g⁻¹ and 1.9 mmol g⁻¹, respectively), even though the ACs obtained at 1073 K with the same IR exhibited the largest surface area (2200 m² g⁻¹). Thermodynamic parameters evaluated from CO₂ adsorption isotherms determined in the range 273–333 K for the former sample pointed to a physisorption, spontaneous, and exothermic process; isosteric heat of adsorption was also estimated for the range of surface coverage of the equilibrium isotherms. The kinetics of CO₂ adsorption onto all the ACs was successfully described by the linear driving force model. The breakthrough curves were properly represented by the Thomas’ model, the longest breakthrough time and highest adsorption capacity being also attained for the bed packed with the ACs developed at 973 K with IR = 3. Higher CO₂ adsorption capacities of the ACs were directly related to the presence of narrow micropores (< 0.9 nm) induced by the stronger activation conditions. However, an excessively severe combination of the IR and activation temperature exerted a negative influence on CO₂ adsorption onto the ACs, likely due to micropores widening.

Trace metal contamination is among the major concerns of stakeholders due to its potential adverse effects on biota and humans, even at low concentrations. Few studies have recently focused on the ability of organisms to depurate trace metals from different tissues. Therefore, we carried out this study to evaluate the bioconcentration of trace metals (Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Mn, Fe, Cr, Cu) and the depuration process of these pollutants in two tissues (soft tissue and carapace) in an estuarine benthic crab model, Neohelice granulata. The results indicate that Cu and Zn were the highest bioconcentrated metals in crab tissues, while other metals, such as Pb and Cr, were found in sediments but were not bioconcentrated. On the other hand, Cd was found in crabs but not in sediments. The depuration indicates a total decline in Ni and a significant decrease in Cu and Fe in the soft tissues after the experiment. However, the concentration of the trace metals in the carapace before and after the depuration did not show any significant variation except in the Mn, in which the levels decreased significantly at the end of the depuration. Thus, we recommend continuing to explore metal detoxification in bioindicator species, such as N. granulata, in order to understand the efficiency of the mechanisms of depuration of trace metals.

Effects of low concentrations of pesticides, with no or moderate mortality of targeted species, are poorly studied even though these low concentrations are common under natural conditions. Studying their effects is critical because they can induce positive hormetic responses, possibly leading to greater pest multiplication and promoting the evolution of pest resistance. Here, we investigated the responses of the pest moth Spodoptera littoralis to low concentrations of deltamethrin, and tested for variation in effects of the pesticide between developmental stages and sexes. Indeed, we show that a given concentration of deltamethrin has different effects between stages, and even between sexes. Two experimental concentrations led to very high mortality early in S. littoralis development (4th larval instar), but only to low mortality rates in adults. Moreover, our highest experimental concentration had only detrimental effects in adult females, but improved the reproductive success of adult males. Model projections showed that the lethality from treatments at the 4th larval instar was the predominant effect. Because of the high multiplication rate of S. littoralis, it was also found that treatments with very similar effects on larval mortality can lead to either population extinction or rapid pest resurgence.