Laccases are capable of rapidly oxidizing benzo[a]pyrene. It is thought that the metabolites with an increase in water solubility caused by the oxidation of benzo[a]pyrene may stimulate the subsequent mineralization. However, to date, there has been no experimental evidence to support this. In this study, the fate of benzo[a]pyrene in soil affected by laccase amendment and the resulting soil bacterial responses were investigated. Laccase amendment promoted benzo[a]pyrene dissipation (15.6%) from soil, accompanied by trace mineralization (<0.58 ± 0.02%) and substantial bound residue formation (∼80%). An increase of ∼15% in the bound residue fraction was observed by laccase amendment, which mainly resulted from covalent binding of the residues to humin fraction. During the incubation, the abundance of bacterial 16S rRNA and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase genes did not change markedly. In contrast, benzo[a]pyrene treated with laccase resulted in a smaller shift in the bacterial community composition, indicating a reduced disturbance to the soil microbial communities. These results here suggest that benzo[a]pyrene contaminated soil can be detoxified by laccase amendment mainly due to the enhanced bound residue formation to soil organic matter via covalent binding.

Avoidance behaviour offers a highly relevant information as it reveals the ability to avoid (or not) possible toxic compounds in the field, hence it provides information on reasons for the presence/absence in the field. The earthworm Eisenia fetida was used to study avoidance behaviour to four silver forms (three nanomaterials (NMs) and one salt) over four time points (24, 48, 72 and 96 h), using OECD standard soil. Avoidance behaviour depended on both exposure material and concentration, but in general changed little with exposure duration. Avoidance was highest for the salt (AgNO₃) for all exposure durations and showed a continuous higher avoidance with time (based on EC₅₀ values). The AgNMs avoidance was in the order NM300K<AgNM-non coated = AgNM- PVP coated. It was not possible to identify one soil solution fraction that correlated with EC₅₀ across materials.

Hypermethylation of СpG islands in the promoter regions of several genes with basic protective function in blood leukocytes of individuals exposed to ionizing radiation long time ago (2–46 years), and differential effects of age and radiation exposure on hypermethylation was reported in our previous work. To validate these results, epigenetic modifications were assessed in an independent series of 49 nuclear industry workers from the “Mayak” facility (67–84 years old at sampling) with documented individual accumulated doses from the prolonged external γ-radiation exposure (95.9–409.5 cGy, end of work with radiation:0.3–39 years ago), and in 50 non-exposed persons matched by age. In addition to the genes analyzed before (RASSF1A, p16/INK4A, p14/ARF, GSTP1), four additional loci were analyzed: TP53, ATM, SOD3, ESR1. The frequency of individuals displaying promoter methylation of at least one of the 8 genes (71.4%) was significantly higher in exposed group as compared to the control group (40%), p = .002, OR = 3.75. A significantly elevated frequency of individuals with hypermethylated СpG islands in GSTP1, TP53, SOD3 promoters was revealed among exposed subjects as compared to the control group (p = .012, OR = 8.41; p = .041, OR = 4.02 and p = .009, OR = 3.42, respectively). A similar trend (p = .12, OR = 3.06) was observed for the p16/INK4A gene. As a whole, p16/INK4A and GSTP1 promoter hypermethylation in irradiated subjects from both previously and currently analyzed groups was pronounced. Thus, the direction of the effects was fully confirmed, suggesting the result reproducibility. No statistically significant correlation between promoter methylation and individual radiation dose was found. Further studies are required to create an array of blood epigenetic markers of radiation exposure associating with premature aging and age-related diseases and to accurately evaluate radiation-added effect across the range of doses.The results of studies of epigenetic changes in two independent samples of irradiated subjects indicated the significance of radiation factor in the induction of hypermethylation of CpG islands in gene promoters that is revealed in blood cells years and decades after exposure.

Given the lack of knowledge regarding climate change-chemical exposure interactions, it is vital to evaluate how these two drivers jointly impact aquatic species. Thus, for the first time, we aimed at investigating the combined effects of increased temperature, pCO2 and the synthetic progestin levonorgestrel on survival, growth, consumption rate and reproduction of the amphipod Gammarus locusta. For that, a full factorial design manipulating temperature [ambient temperature and warming (+4 °C)], pCO2 [normocapnia and hypercapnia (Δ pH 0.5 units)] and the progestin levonorgestrel (LNG: L1 – 10 ngLL−1 and L2 – 1000 ngLL−1, control – no progestin and solvent control – vehicle ethanol (0.01%)) was implemented for 21 days. G. locusta was strongly negatively affected by warming, experiencing higher mortality rates (50–80%) than in any other treatments. Instead, growth rates were significantly affected by interactions of LNG with temperature and pCO2. It was observed, in the short-term (7d) that under ambient temperature (18 °C) and hypercapnic conditions (pH 7.6), the LNG presence promoted the amphipod's growth, while in the medium-term (21d) this response was not observed. Relative consumption rates (RCRs), during the first week were higher than in the third week. Furthermore, in the first week, RCRs were negatively affected by higher temperature while in the third week, RCRs were negatively affected by acidification. Furthermore, it was observed a negative effect of higher temperature and acidification on G. locusta fecundity, contrarily to LNG. Concluding, the impact of increased temperature and pCO2 was clearly more adverse for the species than exposure to the synthetic progestin, however, some interactions between the progestin and the climate factors were observed. Thus, in a future scenario of global change, the presence of LNG (and other progestins alike) may modulate to a certain level the effects of climate drivers (and vice-versa) on the gammarids fitness and reproduction.

Micro-plastic particles in the world's oceans represent a serious threat to both human health and marine ecosystems. Once released into the aquatic environment plastic litter is broken down to smaller pieces through photo-degradation and the physical actions of waves, wind, etc. The resulting particles may become so small that they are readily taken up by fish, crustaceans and mollusks. There is mounting evidence for the uptake of plastic particles by marine organisms that form part of the human food chain and this is driving urgent calls for further and deeper investigations into this pollution issue.The present study aimed at investigating for the first time the occurrence, amount, typology of microplastic litter in the gastrointestinal tract of Solea solea and its spatial distribution in the northern and central Adriatic Sea. This benthic flatfish was selected as it is a species of high commercial interest within the FAO GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) area 37 (Mediterranean and Black Sea) where around 15% of the overall global Solea solea production originates.The digestive tract contents of 533 individuals collected in fall during 2014 and 2015 from 60 sampling sites were examined for microplastics. These were recorded in 95% of sampled fish, with more than one microplastic item found in around 80% of the examined specimens. The most commonly found polymers were polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, and polyamide, 72% as fragments and 28% as fibers. The mean number of ingested microplastics was 1.73 ± 0.05 items per fish in 2014 and 1.64 ± 0.1 in 2015. PVC and PA showed the highest densities in the northern Adriatic Sea, both inshore and off-shore while PE, PP and PET were more concentrated in coastal areas with the highest values offshore from the port of Rimini.

The frequent rainfall during the low tide would erode and transport the surface sediment and microphytobenthos (MPB) in the intertidal flat. In order to quantify the rainfall effects on the erodibility of sediment and MPB at the salt marsh and mixed flat, a series of erosion experiments have been conducted with a Gust erosion microcosm system. Surface sediments were sampled for analyzing algal biomass (Chl-a) and primary production (PP) during three typical weather (without rain, rain, and post-rain) conditions. The results of erosion experiment, in both salt marsh and mixed flat, showed that the sediment erodibility under rain condition was higher than that under without rain condition, with increased total eroded mass by 37–86%. It indicated that the rainfall effects caused to significantly disturb the surface sediment. After the rainfall events, the removal of highly-erodible sediments resulted in the reduction in eroded mass. The MPB erodibility under rain condition was lower than that under without rain condition, with decreased total eroded Chl-a by 29%. At the mixed flat, the rainfall effects caused to significantly decrease biological activities of MPB (biomass and PP) associated with surface sediment. The surface Chl-a concentration under post-rain condition decreased by 73%, compared to that under rain condition. At the salt marsh, in contrast, the rainfall effects were barely shown when the biological activities of MPB were rather stable. This implied that the eroded MPB induced by rainfall was retained within the marsh system due to vegetation canopy.

Highways are major, open and dynamic sources of contaminants that present a risk to adjacent agricultural soils. Urban and peri-urban soils are particularly at risk because of a greater density of nearby highways with high traffic volumes. In developing economies, these soils support valuable food production and income, while in more developed economies there is a growing interest in urban food production. This commentary highlights the need to better characterise the sources, pathways to and impacts of highway contaminants on agricultural soils and it suggests research priorities. Soil contamination from highways includes metals, toxic organic pollutants and plastics (including large amounts of tyre dust). Contaminants from vehicle emissions and from wear of vehicles and highways are transferred to soil in airborne particulates, dust, splash, spray and runoff. Contamination is greatest near to the highway edge but can extend to >50m. Levels of metals including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn in some soils adjacent to highways may exceed thresholds above which there is a potential risk of harm to food production. Elevated levels of non-threshold carcinogens (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) in soil adjacent to highways are widely reported, with significant attribution to highway emissions. Mitigation options include improved vehicle design and performance, porous asphalt pavements, physical and vegetative barriers and better drainage. Research priorities include: (1) targeted soil monitoring to identify where highway contamination already presents a significant risk of harm to food production and to identify and assess trends in response to mitigation measures; (2) studies to assess the role of tyre particulate in transporting and releasing contaminants that are hazardous to soil (3) assessment of the risk to soil from pesticides used in highway maintenance; (4) analysis to inform a new emphasis on controlling soil pollution by innovative highway design and maintenance.

Ants accumulate heavy metals and respond to pollution with modification in species composition, community structure, altered behaviour and immunity. However, the levels of heavy metals in ants’ nests and explicit individual-level responses towards heavy metals have not been revealed. We found that red wood ants Formica lugubris accumulate high and correlated values of such heavy metals as Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn both in ants and nest material near cobalt smelter in Finland. Relative differences in metal concentrations were higher in nests than in ants. The highest values were obtained for elements such as Co (36.6), Zn (14.9), Cd (9.7), Pb (8.5), Cu (7.4), Ni (6.4), As (4.7), Cr (2.9) and Fe (2.4) in nest material, and Co (32.7), Cd (6.3), Pb (6), Fe (2.8), Ni (2.9) and Zn (2.1) in ants. In industrial and reference areas, ants have no differences in size, but differed in dry and residual body mass. In polluted areas, F. lugubris had less melanised heads, but not thoraxes. The sensitivity of cuticular colouration in red wood ants subjected to heavy metal pollution might be related to metal-binding properties of melanins. The overall results are useful for the improvement of biomonitoring techniques using ants as indicators of industrial contamination and for further discovery of novel ecotoxicological biomarkers.

As a pristine continent, Antarctica provides a good opportunity to study the spatial transport and temporal accumulation of environmental contaminants and the impacts of anthropogenic activities, both of which have given rise to ongoing public concern. In this research, an approach of coupling aquatic time-integrated passive sampling with chemical analysis and bioassays was used to assess pollution by hydrophobic organic contaminants in Antarctic waters. Passive samplers were deployed in waters of Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica, and their extracts were used for chemical analyses of sixty-six hydrophobic organic contaminants belonging to five groups [organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), phthalic acid esters (PAEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)] and in vitro bioassays for endocrine disruption and genotoxicity. In total, twenty pollutants (six PFRs, one PAE, two PAHs, six OCPs, and five PCBs) were quantified, and six PFRs had concentrations that ranged from ND (not detected) to 44.37 ng L−1 in Antarctic waters. The concentrations detected in the waters were generally low and insufficient to have significant in vitro endocrine disruption potential or genotoxicity. The source and transport pathways of PFRs and PAE in Fildes Peninsula were studied, and multiple local sources (wastewater, air traffic, research stations, and animal feces) for different PFRs were proposed. A spatial and temporal analysis showed slight changes in the exposure of OCPs and PCBs in Antarctic waters. Furthermore, a comparison among a variety of Antarctic water sampling cases revealed that passive sampling can be a tool for aquatic time-integrated investigations in polar regions.

Waterborne microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been reported to disrupt sex hormones, while its estrogenic potency remains controversial. We hypothesized that MC-LR could induce estrogenic effects via disrupting sex hormone synthesis, and verified this hypothesis by in vitro and in vivo assays. Effects of MC-LR (1, 10, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 μg/L) on steroidogenesis were assessed in the H295R cells after 48 h. The contents of 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) increased in a non-dose-dependent manner, which showed positive correlations with the expression of steroidogenic genes. In the in vivo assay, adult male zebrafish were exposed to 0.3, 1, 3, 10 and 30 μg/L MC-LR for 30 d. Similarly, E2 and T contents in the testis were increased, accompanied by extensive up-regulation of steroidogenic genes, especially cyp19a. Meanwhile, the percentage of spermatid in the testis declined. In the liver, the vtg1 gene was significantly up-regulated while both the transcriptional and protein levels of the estrogenic receptor (ER) declined. These results indicate that MC-LR induced non-dose-dependent estrogenic effects at environmental concentrations, which may result from steroidogenesis stimulation via a non-ER-mediated pathway. Our findings support a paradigm shift in the risk assessment of MC-LR from traditional toxicity to estrogenic risk, particularly at low concentrations, and emphasize the potential threat to the male reproductive capacity of wildlife in bloom areas.