The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn in the different parts of six bivalves species were determined. From the study conducted, it was found that the byssus of Perna viridis, Scpharca broughtonii and Trisidos kiyonoi; the gill of Polymesoda erosa and Donax faba; and the foot of Gelonia expansa were highly accumulative of Cu. High levels of Cd were found in the gills of Scpharca broughtonii and the byssus of Trisidos kiyonoi; and also the shells of the four remaining bivalve species. As for Zn, the mantles of P. erosa and T. kiyonoi, and the gills of D. faba, G. expansa and S. broughtonii were highly accumulative of Zn. High level of Pb and Ni were found in the shells of all the species which indicated that the shells of the bivalves were highly accumulative of Pb and Ni. Elevated levels of Fe however were found in the different parts of the bivalve since Fe is an essential metal in metabolic activities and an abundant element in nature. The heavy metals in the total tissues and the different soft tissues of the bivalves were compared with the maximum permissible limits set by five different countries. From the comparison, it was found that most of the bivalves contained metal concentrations which were below the maximum permissible limits and should pose no toxicological risk to consumers.

The extent of pollution with organotin compounds was investigated in water, sediment and bivalve mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Northern Adriatic Sea. Butyl-, phenyl- and octyltin species were quantified after extraction and derivatisation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in a total of 99 samples from the period from 2000 to 2006. The accuracies of the analytical procedures were checked by spiking of unpolluted water samples and by the analysis of standard reference materials (harbour sediment PACS-2 and mussel tissue ERM-CE 477). Among organotin species analysed in samples butyltins were the predominant. Tributyltin was found to be present in the highest concentrations, suggesting its recent input into the marine environment. Butyltins were detected at all sites surveyed (sum of butyltins was up to 718 ng Sn L⁻¹, 3,552 ng Sn g⁻¹ d.w. and 9,991 ng Sn g⁻¹ d.w. in water, sediment and mussel samples, respectively), phenytins in much lower concentrations (up to 31 ng Sn L⁻¹, 326 ng Sn g⁻¹ d.w. and 442 ng Sn g⁻¹ d.w. in water, sediment and mussel samples) and to a much smaller extent, while octyltins were not detected at any location. The spatial distribution of tributyltin was closely related to boating, with the highest concentrations found in marinas (up to 586 ng Sn L⁻¹ for water samples, 1,995 ng Sn g⁻¹ d.w. for sediment and 6,434 ng Sn g⁻¹ d.w. for mussel samples). The temporal distribution clearly indicates a decrease of organotin pollution at all sites.

Commonly occurring plant species on metal-contaminated soils and noncontaminated soils adjoining Kanpur Tanneries, Uttar Pradesh, India were surveyed for arbuscular mycorrhizal association. In the present study, pH, electric conductivity (E.C.), organic carbon, macronutrients (available phosphorus, available potassium), micronutrients (Cu and Zn), and toxic metals (Cr, Cd, Pb) were higher in metal-contaminated site compared to noncontaminated site. These factors were also significantly different between metal-contaminated and noncontaminated soils. High E.C. along with toxic concentrations of metals like Cr, Cd, and Pb may have acted as selection pressure for vegetation cover, making the metal-contaminated site hostile for cultivation purpose. The study recorded Arum type of arbuscular mycorrhiza. The highest mean total root colonization levels in metal-contaminated and noncontaminated soils were 100% (Parthenium sp.) and 34.16% (Parthenium sp.), respectively. Maximum mean spore density in metal-contaminated and noncontaminated soils was 19 spores rhizosphere soil⁻¹ (Parthenium sp.) and nine spores rhizosphere soil⁻¹ (Desmostachya bipinnata and Cynodon sp.), respectively. Studies revealed that for a particular plant species, the root colonization levels and spore density (except Cynodon sp.) were higher in contaminated soil compared to noncontaminated soils. A total of six species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi belonging to two genera viz., Glomus and Scutellospora were recovered during the study. Species richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was maximum in the noncontaminated site compared to the metal-contaminated site. This result suggests that continuous exposure of plants and associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to heavy metals can result in tolerant species which can be used for phytoremediation.

In a few cases, atmospheric particulate matter characterization was taken into account together with aerobiological monitoring but never in an archive. The aim of this study was to estimate the air quality, by means of both chemical-physical and microbiological studies, at the Ca' Granda Historical Archive (Milan, Italy) that houses an important collection of documents from the 12th century. Temperature and relative humidity were measured in the rooms. Particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations were quantified and the chemical composition, in terms of ionic components, elements, and carbonaceous fraction (total, organic, and elemental carbon) determined. The gaseous pollutants NO₂, SO₂, and O₃ and indoor acidity were also measured. Aerobiological monitoring (aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and fungi) was performed as volumes stored in the Archive were composed of organic materials, a potential energy and carbon source. In this paper, we present our findings and propose some guidelines for a better preservation of the documents.

Background Modern societies depend on environmental sustainability and on new generations of individuals well-trained by environmental research and teaching institutions. In the past, significant contributions to the identification, assessment, and management of chemical stressors with legal consequences have been made. Main Features Within this article, we intend to elucidate the merits and the emerging challenges of chemicals-related environmental sciences. The manuscript is supported by more than 70 professors and university academics of leading institutions in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and other countries in Europe, but addresses topics of global concern. Results and Discussion Many environmental problems of pollutants remain to be addresses, since new chemical compounds or classes of new compounds are continuously developed and brought to the market and sooner or later “emerge” in the environment. Further issues are the inclusion of transformation products and chemical mixtures in environmental risk assessment, the long-term presence of xenobiotics bound to soils and sediments, as well as an understanding of the ecological relevance of ecotoxicological end points. Conclusion and Perspectives We point out the need for a strong academic research and education system in chemicals-related environmental sciences to ministries, politicians, and research funding institutions and we propose to create specific units in the national funding bodies that address basic and interdisciplinary research in this field.

Background, aim, and scope Ten years of public health interventions on industrial emissions to clean air were monitored for the Mediterranean city of Cartagena. During the 1960s, a number of large chemical and non-ferrous metallurgical factories were established that significantly deteriorated the city's air quality. By the 1970s, the average annual air concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) ranged from 200 to 300 μg/m³ (standard conditions units). In 1979, the Spanish government implemented an industrial intervention plan to improve the performance of factories and industrial air pollution surveillance. Unplanned urban development led to residential housing being located adjacent to three major factories. Factory A produced lead, factory B processed zinc from ore concentrates, and factory C produced sulfuric acid and phosphates. This, in combination with the particular abrupt topography and frequent atmospheric thermal inversions, resulted in the worsening of air quality and heightening concern for public health. In 1990, the City Council authorized the immediate intervention at these factories to reduce or shut down production if ambient levels of SO₂ or total suspended particles (TSP) exceeded a time-emission threshold in pre-established meteorological contexts. The aim of this research was to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of the intervention plan implemented from 1992 to 2001 to abate industrial air pollution. Materials and methods The maximum daily 1-h ambient air level of SO₂, NO₂, and TSP pollutants was selected from one of the three urban automatic stations, designed to monitor ambient air quality around industrial emissions sources. The day on which an intervention took place to reduce and/or interrupt industrial production by factory and pollutant was defined as a control day, and the day after an intervention as a post-control day. To assess the short-term intervention effect on air quality, an ecological time series design was applied, using regression analysis in generalized additive models, focusing on day-to-day variations of ambient air pollutants levels. Two indicators were estimated: (a) appropriateness, the ratio between mean levels of the pollutant for control days versus the other days, and (b) effectiveness, the ratio between mean levels of the pollutant for post-control days versus the other days. Ratios in regression analyses were adjusted for trend, seasonality, temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure, calendar day, and special events as well as the other pollutants. Results A total of 702 control days were made on the factories' industrial production during the 10-year period. Fifteen reductions and five shutdown control days took place at factory A for ambient air SO₂. At factory B, more controls were carried out for the SO₂ pollutant in the years 1992-1993 and 1997. At factory C, the control days for SO₂ decreased from 59 reductions and 14 shutdowns to a minimum from 1995 onwards, whereas the controls on TSP were more frequent, reaching a maximum of 99 reductions and 47 shutdowns in the last year. SO₂ ambient air mean levels ranged from 456 to 699 μg/m³ among factories on reduction control days and between 624 and 1,010 μg/m³ on shutdown days. The TSP ambient air mean levels were 428 and 506 μg/m³ on reduction and shutdown days, respectively. For all types of control days and factories, a mean ratio of 104% (95% confidence interval [CI] 88 to 121) in SO₂ levels was obtained and a mean ratio of 67% (95% CI 59 to 75) in TSP levels. Post-control days at all factories showed a mean ratio of -16% (95% CI -7 to -24) in SO₂ levels and a mean ratio of -13% (95% CI -7 to -19) in TSP levels. Discussion Interventions on industrial production based on the urban SO₂ and TSP ambient air levels were justified by the high concentrations detected. The best assessment of the interventions' effectiveness would have been to utilize the ambient air pollutant concentration readings from the entire time of the production shutdowns or reductions; however, the daily hourly maximum turned out to be a useful indicator because of meteorological factors influencing the diurnal concentration profile. A substantial number of interventions were carried out from 1 to 3 am, when vehicular traffic was minimum. On the other hand, atmospheric stability undergoes diurnal cycling in the autumn-winter period due to thermal inversion, which reaches maximum levels around daybreak. Therefore, this increases the ambient air levels and justified the interventions carried out at daybreak in spite of the traffic influence. Conclusions All the interventions for SO₂ and TSP were carried out when the measured ambient air levels of pollutants were exceeded, which shows the appropriateness of the intervention program. This excess was greater when intervening on SO₂ than on the TSP levels. For both ambient air levels of SO₂ and TSP, significant drops in air pollution were achieved from all three factories following activity reductions. The production shutdown controls were very effective, because they returned excess levels, higher than in the reduction controls, to everyday mean values. Recommendations and perspectives The Cartagena City observational system of intermittent control has proven to effectively reduce industrial emissions' impact on ambient air quality. This experienced model approach could serve well in highly polluted industrial settings. From a public health perspective, studies are needed to assess that the industrial interventions to control air pollution were related to healthier human populations. Legislation was needed to allow the public administration to take direct actions upon the polluting industries.

Background, aim, and scope The possibility of gene transfer from genetically modified oilseed rape (OSR) to its cultivated or wild relatives is of concern since its commercial cultivation, because of its potential weediness and impact on the environment. Introgression of modified genes can affect conservation of agricultural crops, because there are many cultivars and wild Brassicaceae that may cross with genetically modified OSR (Brassica napus) in Japan. Japan imports more than 2 million tons of OSR a year from Canada and other countries. Since volunteers of GM OSR were found around harbors in 2004, a lot of feral GM OSR was discovered in Japan. To consider the way how to keep domestic Brassicaceae from GM contamination, we surveyed and analyzed the dispersal and persistence of GM OSR around Japanese harbors. We present the cause and abundance of GM OSR in Japan by this paper. Materials and methods Survey of the feral OSR was performed several times a year at different seasons when domestic OSR either grows or does not around port areas. Detection of herbicide tolerance in feral B. napus was done by test papers that cross react with the modified gene product. Two kinds of herbicide tolerance (glyphosate and glufosinate) were tested. Results The feral B. napus were discovered around all 13 harbors that import rapeseeds from foreign countries. Genetically modified, herbicide-tolerant OSR were frequently found in the surveyed populations. Two kinds of herbicide-tolerant OSR (glyphosate- and glufosinate-tolerant) were discovered in a natural condition 40 km from port to an oil factory where 60,000 tons of OSR seed are processed a year. The cause of voluntary growth of OSR is seed spillage during transportation by trucks from harbors to oil factories and other processing facilities. Some of the feral OSR growing along the roadsides of transport paths exhibited perennial growth spilling their seeds around the places. Alteration of the generation of feral GM OSR was discovered for the first time in Japan as a result of this study. We studied the yearly change of feral OSR abundances focusing on Yokkaichi port over the 4 years since 2004. The rate of GM OSR increases year to year, and reaches nearly 90% in 2008. Discussion The possibility and consequences of gene transfer from the genetically modified OSR to domestic species (B. rapa and B. juncea) were discussed in relation to impact on domestic agriculture and on environments. Evolutional meaning of the gene transfer was also discussed with respect to the gene construct of GM OSR. This study shows the importance of another pathway of modified gene transfer to non-GM relative species by seed transportation in addition to pollen transfer from commercial cultivation of genetically modified OSR. Conclusions and recommendations We identified unintended dispersal and persistence of GM OSR around Japanese harbors that import OSR from Canada and other countries. Both glyphosate- and glufosinate-tolerant feral B. napus were discovered. The cause of volunteer OSR is spillage of the seeds during transportation by truck to oil factory. The feral GM OSR sometimes showed perennial growth in Japanese phonological conditions which are not observed for domestic Brassicaceae. In addition, we confirmed an alteration of generations by feral GM OSR in Japan. The possibility of cross pollination and GM gene introgression to domestic varieties can occur in these environments. To improve the situation, each responsible organization, company, administration, or government should establish measures how to stop the dispersal and persistence of GM OSR in nature. Also, the GM plant developers are responsible for revising this situation.

Background, aim, and scope Bombing and destruction of the industrial and military targets accompanied by complete or incomplete combustion during the war conflict and NATO operation in former Yugoslavia caused the emission of persistent organic pollutants into the atmosphere, water, and soil. A total of 129 ambient air samples from 24 background, urban, and industrial sites, including hot spots, were collected to assess a gas-particle partitioning behavior of various persistent organic pollutants. Materials and methods High volume sampling technique was applied with quartz filters that collect the atmospheric particles and polyurethane foam filters (PUF) that retain the gaseous compounds. Three to ten samples were taken at each site. GFs and PUFs were analyzed separately for their content of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Results Gas phase and particle phase concentrations of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in all samples were converted into the particle-bound fractions [Greek Phi symbol]. These fractions were found to be highly variable, but generally highest in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the elevated levels of total suspended material in ambient air. Discussion Experimental values of particle-associated fraction were compared to the Junge-Pankow model. Interestingly, a model for urban/industrial environments provided a better prediction of partitioning behavior than a model for background and rural background sites. That is probably because the total amount of atmospheric particles is higher in the Balkan region than found in the previously published studies. Conclusions Even though it has been stated in previous studies that less than 5% of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are bound to the particles, up to 67% of PCBs were particle associated at several sampling sites in this study. PCB-contaminated soils are probably still one of the strong sources of particles to the atmosphere. Recommendations and perspectives Information on the particle-bound fractions of POPs is important not only for prediction of their fate but also for an estimation of risks they can pose to the environment as well as to humans. When assessing such hazards, it has to be considered that modeled values of the particle-bound fractions can be seriously underestimated at sites with elevated levels of suspended atmospheric matter or at sites with heavily contaminated soils.