Microplastic pollution affects freshwater and marine biota worldwide, microplastics occurring even inside the organisms. With highly variable effects, from physical damage to toxicity of plastic compounds, microplastics are a potential threat to the biodiversity, community composition and organisms' health. This emerging pollutant could overstress diadromous species, which are exposed to both sea and river water in their life cycle. Here we have quantified microplastics in young European eel Anguilla anguilla, a critically endangered catadromous fish, entering three rivers in southwestern Bay of Biscay. River water, sediments and seawater were also analysed for microplastics. The microplastic type was identified using Fournier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy and then searched for their hazard potential at the European Chemical Agency site. Both riverine and sea microplastic pollution were predictors of eels’ microplastic profile (types of microplastics by shape and colour): A. anguilla juveniles entering European rivers already carry some marine microplastics and acquire more from river water. Potentially hazardous plastic materials were found from eels, some of them dangerous for aquatic life following the European Chemical Agency. This confirms microplastics as a potential threat for the species. Between-rivers differences for microplastics profiles persistent over years highlight the convenience of analysing and preventing microplastics at a local spatial scale, to save diadromous species from this stressor. Since the origin of microplastics present in glass eels seems to be dual (continental + seawater), new policies should be promoted to limit the entry of microplastics in sea and river waters.

The presence of contaminants of emerging concern in the aquatic environment directly impacts water-living organisms and can alter their living functions. These compounds are often metabolized and excreted, but they can also be accumulated and spread through the food chain. The metabolized contaminants can also lead to the formation of new compounds with unknown toxicity and bioaccumulation potential. In this work, we have studied the occurrence, bioconcentration, and biotransformation of CECs in glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) using UHPLC-HRMS. To select the target CECs, we first carried out an environmental risk assessment of the WWTP effluent that releases directly into the Adour estuary (Bayonne, Basque Country, France). The risk quotients of every detected contaminant were calculated and three ecotoxicologically relevant contaminants were chosen to perform the exposure experiment: propranolol, diazepam, and irbesartan. An experiment of 14 days consisting of 7 days of exposure and 7 days of depuration was carried out to measure the bioconcentration of the chosen compounds. The quantitative results of the concentrations in glass eel showed that diazepam and irbesartan reached BCF ≈10 on day 7, but both compounds were eliminated after 7 days of depuration. On the other hand, propranolol's concentration remains constant all along with the experiment, and its presence can be detected even in the non-exposed control group, which might suggest environmental contamination. Two additional suspect screening strategies were used to identify metabolization products of the target compounds and other xenobiotics already present in wild glass eels. Only one metabolite was identified, nordiazepam, a well-known diazepam metabolite, probably due to the low metabolic rate of glass eels at this stage. The xenobiotic screening confirmed the presence of more xenobiotics in wild glass eels, prominent among them, the pharmaceuticals exemestane, primidone, iloprost, and norethandrolone.

Limited attention has been given to the presence of MPs in the atmospheric environment, particularly in indoor environments where people spend about 90% of their time. This study quantitatively assesses the prevalence, source and type of MPs in Australian homes with the goal of evaluating human health exposure potential. Thirty-two airborne indoor deposited dust samples were collected in glass Petri dishes from Sydney (Australia) homes, over a one-month period in 2019. Participants completed a questionnaire on their household characteristics. Samples were analysed using a stereomicroscope, a fluorescent microscope and micro-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for their colour, size, shape and composition. Inhalation and ingestion rates were modelled using US EPA exposure factors. Microplastic fibre deposition rates ranged from 22 to 6169 fibres/m²/day. Deposited dust comprised 99% fibres. The highest proportion of fibres (19%) were 200–400 μm in length. The majority were natural (42%); 18% were transformed natural-based fibres; and 39% were petrochemical based. A significant difference was observed between the deposition rate and the main floor covering (p-value <0.05). Polyethylene, polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic, and polystyrene fibres were found in higher abundance in homes with carpet as the main floor covering. Where carpet was absent, polyvinyl fibres were the most dominant petrochemical fibre type, indicating the role of flooring materials (e.g. wood varnishes) in determining MP composition. Vacuum cleaner use was significantly related to MP deposition rates (p-value <0.05). MP ingestion rates peaked at 6.1 mg/kg-Bw/year for ages 1–6, falling to a minimum of 0.5 mg/kg-Bw/year in >20 years age group. Mean inhaled MP weight and count was determined to be 0.2±0.07 mg/kg-Bw/year and 12891±4472 fibres/year. Greatest inhalation intake rates were for the <0.5-yr age group, at 0.31 mg/kg-Bw/year. The study data reveal that MPs are prevalent in Australian homes and that the greatest risk of exposure resides with young children. Notwithstanding the limited number of global studies and the different methods used to measure MPs, this study indicates Australian deposition and inhalation rates are at the lower end of the exposure spectrum.

In this study, a sustainable NH₂-MIL-101(Al) is synthesized and subjected to characterization for cryogenic CO₂ adsorption, isotherms, and thermodynamic study. The morphology revealed a highly porous surface. The XRD showed that NH₂-MIL-101(Al) was crystalline. The NH₂-MIL-101(Al) decomposes at a temperature (>500 °C) indicating excellent thermal stability. The BET investigation revealed the specific surface area of 2530 m²/g and the pore volume of 1.32 cm³/g. The CO₂ adsorption capacity was found to be 9.55 wt% to 2.31 wt% within the investigated temperature range. The isotherms revealed the availability of adsorption sites with favorable adsorption at lower temperatures indicating the thermodynamically controlled process. The thermodynamics showed that the process is non-spontaneous, endothermic, with fewer disorders, chemisorption. Finally, the breakthrough time of NH₂-MIL-101(Al) is 31.25% more than spherical glass beads. The CO₂ captured by the particles was 2.29 kg m⁻³. The CO₂ capture using glass packing was 121% less than NH₂-MIL-101(Al) under similar conditions of temperature and pressure.

Understanding the subsurface transport of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is of considerable interest for evaluating its potential risks to humans and ecosystems. In this study, packed-column experiments were conducted to examine the influence of surface roughness on PFOA transport in unsaturated glass beads, quartz sand and limestone porous media. Results showed decreasing moisture content significantly increased the air-water interfacial adsorption of PFOA and led to greater retardation in all three types of porous media. Particularly, rougher surface (limestone > quartz sand > glass beads) and smaller grain size (i.e. a larger solid specific surface area, SSSA) significantly enhanced PFOA retardation under unsaturated conditions. These results were further supported by bubble column experiments and SSSA analysis of porous media, which demonstrate that except for the factors affecting PFOA transport in solid-water interface (e.g. surface charge and chemical heterogeneity), the greater retardation of PFOA during transport is attributed to the larger air-water interfacial areas associated with rougher surface and smaller grain size and hence greater interfacial adsorption of PFOA. Our results indicated the importance of surface roughness on the retention and transport of PFOA in the unsaturated zone.

Global concern about floating marine debris and its fundamental role in shaping coastal biodiversity is growing, yet there is very little knowledge about debris-associated rafting communities in many areas of the world's oceans. In the present study, we examined the encrusting assemblage on different types of stranded debris (wood, plastic, glass, and metal cans) along the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf. In total, 21 taxa were identified on 132 items. The average frequency of occurrence (±SE) across all sites and stranded debris showed that the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite (68.9 ± 1.1%), the oyster Saccostrea cucullata (40.9 ± 0.7%), the polychaete Spirobranchus kraussii (27.3 ± 0.5%), green algae (22 ± 0.5%) and the coral Paracyathus stokesii (14.4 ± 0.7%) occurred most frequently. Relative substratum coverage was highest for A. amphitrite (44.3 ± 2.7%), followed by green algae (14.4 ± 1.5%), Spirobranchus kraussii (9.3 ± 1.3%), Saccostrea cucullata (7.6 ± 1.3%) and the barnacle Microeuraphia permitini (5.8 ± 0.9%). Despite the significant difference in coverage of rafting species on plastic items among different sites, there was no clear and consistent trend of species richness and coverage from the eastern (Strait of Hormuz) to the western part of the Persian Gulf. Some rafting species (bryozoans and likely barnacles) were found to be non-indigenous species in the area. As floating marine debris can transport non-indigenous species and increase the risk of bio-invasions to this already naturally- and anthropogenically-stressed water body, comprehensive monitoring efforts should be made to elucidate the vectors and arrival of new invasive species to the region.

Emission of hazardous trace elements (HTEs) from energy production is receiving much attention due to concerns about the toxicity to the ecosystem and human health. This study presented new field measurement data on the HTEs partitioning behavior and size-segregated elemental compositions of gaseous particular matter (PM) generated from a commercial circulating fluidized bed (CFB) power plant. Mineralogical and morphological characteristics of combustion ash and PM2.5 (particle diameter less than 2.5 μm) were determined by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). Functional groups alteration during CFB combustion was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The presence of aliphatic hydrogen at 2910 cm−1 and 2847 cm−1 in the PM2.5 suggested that the aliphatic carbon-rich volatiles were absorbed on the fine particles with large surface area. Fine fly ash (PM2.5) occurred as irregular glass particles or/and as unburned carbon. The typical irregular particles were mainly composed of Al-Si-Ca or Al-Si-Fe phases. The enrichment behavior of HTEs was determined for the airborne size-segregated particular matter. Elemental occurrences, combustion temperature, unburnt carbon, and limestone additives during CFB combustion were critical in the transformation behavior of HTEs. The total potentially mobile pollutants that exit the CFB power plant every year were estimated as follows: 0.22 tons of Cr, 0.12 tons of Co, 0.73 tons of Ni, 0.04 tons of As, 0.07 tons of Se, 3.95 kg of Cd, and 3.34 kg of Sb.

Plastic is ubiquitous in global oceans and constitutes a newly available habitat for surface-associated bacterial assemblages. Microplastics (plastic particles <5 mm) are especially susceptible to ingestion by marine organisms, as the size of these particles makes them available also to lower trophic levels. Because many marine invertebrates harbour potential pathogens in their guts, we investigated whether bacterial assemblages on polystyrene are selectively modified during their passage through the gut of the lugworm Arenicola marina and are subsequently able to develop pathogenic biofilms. We also examined whether polystyrene acts as a vector for gut biofilm assemblages after subsequent incubation of the egested particles in seawater. Our results showed that after passage through the digestive tract of A. marina, the bacterial assemblages on polystyrene particles and reference glass beads became more similar, harbouring common sediment bacteria. By contrast, only in the presence of polystyrene the potential symbiont Amphritea atlantica was enriched in the investigated biofilms, faeces, and water. Thus, especially in areas of high polystyrene contamination, this polymer may impact the bacterial composition of different habitats, with as yet unknown consequences for the respective ecosystems.

Plastics are common and pervasive anthropogenic debris in marine environments. Floating plastics provide opportunities to alter the abundance, distribution and invasion potential of sessile organisms that colonize them. We selected plastics from seven recycle categories and quantified settlement of (i) bryozoans Bugula neritina (Linnaeus, 1758) in the lab and in the field, and of (ii) barnacles Amphibalanus (= Balanus) amphitrite (Darwin, 1854) in the field. In the laboratory we cultured barnacles on the plastics for 8 weeks and quantified growth, mortality, and breaking strength of the side plates. In the field all recyclable plastics were settlement substrata for bryozoans and barnacles. Settlement depended on the type of plastic. Fewer barnacles settled on plastic surfaces compared to glass. In the lab and in the field, bryozoan settlement was higher on plastics than on glass. In static laboratory rearing, barnacles growing on plastics were initially significantly smaller than on glass. This suggested juvenile barnacles were adversely impacted by materials leaching from the plastics. Barnacle mortality was not significantly different between plastic and glass surfaces, but breaking strength of side plates of barnacles on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polycarbonate (PC) were significantly lower than breakage strength on glass. Plastics impact marine ecosystems directly by providing new surfaces for colonization with fouling organisms and by contaminants shown previously to leach out of plastics and impact biological processes.

We investigated whether there might be excess ovarian cancer mortality among women residing near Spanish industries, according to different categories of industrial groups and toxic substances. An ecologic study was designed to examine ovarian cancer mortality at a municipal level (period 1997–2006). Population exposure to pollution was estimated by means of distance from town to facility. Using Poisson regression models, we assessed the relative risk of dying from ovarian cancer in zones around installations, and analyzed the effect of industrial groups and pollutant substances. Excess ovarian cancer mortality was detected in the vicinity of all sectors combined, and, principally, near refineries, fertilizers plants, glass production, paper production, food/beverage sector, waste treatment plants, pharmaceutical industry and ceramic. Insofar as substances were concerned, statistically significant associations were observed for installations releasing metals and polycyclic aromatic chemicals. These results support that residing near industries could be a risk factor for ovarian cancer mortality.