Despite the large research effort on reporting quantities of coastal litter, the dynamics of this litter is not yet sufficiently understood. Litter inputs in five cobble beaches located in the Mediterranean (Spain) were studied over three months during winter by biweekly litter tagging. Plastic represented the dominant material that reached the beaches (77%). In remote and narrow beaches, storms constituted the main driver in litter dynamics, favouring the accumulation of floating items such as plastic bottles and wood fragments as well as the largest but contrasting effects, increasing litter inputs and outputs from the beach, respectively. In rural beaches, beach users, mainly fisher people, but also tourists, contributed to a notable input of litter to the beach. Burial and exhumation of litter were reported as common occurring processes. Better management actions are required to improve beach environmental quality. | This research is a contribution to the Andalusia PAI Research Group "RNM-328" and to the Ibero-American Beach Management and Certification Network -PROPLAYAS. This work was supported by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge from Spain [FBIOMARINA19-01]. Special thanks go to David Saez, Natalia Sanchez, Laura Valero and Alba Amat for their help during the sampling periods and thanks to "Puertos del Estado" for oceanographic data. Thanks are also given to the municipalities involved in this research for answering to enquires about beach cleaning modalities. Finally, special thanks to two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions, which have been very helpful in improving the manuscript.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in diet are a health concern and their monitoring in food has been introduced in the European Union. In developing countries, EDC dietary exposure data are scarce, especially from areas perceived as pollution hotspots, including industrialized countries like India. Several persistent organic pollutants (POPs) act as EDCs and pose a pressure to human health mainly through dietary exposure. In the present study a range of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), dioxins and furans were measured in several food items collected in an Indian urban (Delhi) and a rural area (Dehradun). Food basket contamination data were used to estimate dietary exposure and compare it with that of the average European population estimated from available monitoring data. All targeted contaminants were found in most food items, especially in dairies and meat products. OCPs were the main contributors. Food supplied to Delhi's markets had higher contamination than that supplied to the peri-urban market in Dehradun. Despite looser control and restrictions, Indian dietary exposure of OCPs and PBDEs were comparable with that of Europe and were lower for PCBs and dioxins. Higher meat consumption in Europe only partly explained this pattern which was driven also by the higher residues in some European food items. A substantial part of endocrine disrupting potential in the diet derives from food and animal feeds internationally traded between developed and developing countries. With increasingly globalized food systems, internationally harmonized policies on EDC in food can lead to better protection of health in both these contexts. | publishedVersion

Mercury (Hg) pollution in the ocean is an issue of global concern, however bioaccumulation regimes of this ubiquitous pollutant in marine apex predators have important knowledge gaps. Our fish length and stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) normalized data of Greenland halibut (GH) (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) showed that Hg bioaccumulation in fillet tissue decreased by ~35–50 %, over a ten-year period from 2006 to 2015 (n = 7 individual sampling years). Hg was predominantly in the methylmercury form (>77 %). Results from a Bayesian information theoretic model showed that GH Hg concentrations decreased with time and its associated declines in Hg air emissions, estimated trophic position, and a potentially lower degree of demersal prey use as indicated by temporal trend shifts in nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) stable isotope values. GH trophic shifts accounted for about one third of the observed temporal reduction in Hg. Our study demonstrates the importance of simultaneously considering Hg emissions, food web dynamics and trophic shifts as important drivers of Hg bioaccumulation in a marine, deep water fish species and highlights the effectiveness of Hg regulations on ocean apex predator Hg concentrations and overall seafood safety. | publishedVersion

Areas in central Norway were heavily contaminated with fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986. In this study, we assess 137Cs in surface sediments and sediment cores collected in the Vefsnfjord in Nordland county. Concentrations of 137Cs in surface sediments ranged from 159 to 191 Bq kg−1 dry weight (d.w.). Sub-surface peaks of 137Cs were observed in all cores, with a maximum concentration of 432 Bq kg−1 d.w. Given that little is known about the distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides in Norwegian fjords and coastal areas, a better understanding of the total burden of radioactivity is important for the Norwegian fishing and aquaculture industries. Therefore, analyses of the natural radionuclides 40K, 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb were included in the study. Analyses of total sulphur (TS), total carbon (TC), total organic carbon (TOC) and grain size distribution have been performed to provide a sedimentologic context for interpreting the radionuclide results. | publishedVersion

One of the ambitions of the UN Decade of Ocean Science is stakeholder interaction to co-produce new ideas and solutions for policy action plans to ensure that environmental challenges are mitigated in a timely manner. Regulations around the release of microfibres are largely lacking, and we are at an excellent point of departure to test integrative methods of such co-production. We co-designed conceptual maps and Bayesian Belief Networks with probabilistic future scenarios within both inter- and intra-sectoral workshops with industry and scientific stakeholders to gain comparable results of policy action scenarios for curbing the challenge of microfibre pollution within this context. We found that when scientists worked on this alone, their focus was different than when working together with industry directly. Scientists focused on methods for avoiding release into the environment from a technical vantage point, whereas industry emphasized regulatory requirements needed to avoid ambiguity within the sector. | publishedVersion

Embargo until 29 December 2022. | We exposed twelve mesocosm stream channels and four instream channels to one, two, and four pulses of the insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin (0.1 μg L−1) applied at two day intervals, each pulse lasting 90 min. Unexposed controls were included. We monitored macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition in the channels and in deployed leaf packs one day before and 29 days after the first exposure. Further, we measured drift in and out of the channels and leaf litter decomposition. Lambda-cyhalothrin exposures induced significantly increased drift in both experiments especially for Gammarus pulex, Amphinemura standfussi, and Leuctra spp. Macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition increasingly changed with increasing number of lambda-cyhalothrin exposures being most pronounced in the mesocosm channels. Further, leaf decomposition significantly decreased with increasing number of exposures in the mesocosm channels. Our study showed that species with predicted highest sensitivity to lambda-cyhalothrin were primary drivers of significant changes in taxonomic composition lasting for at least one month despite continuous recolonization of exposed channels from upstream parts of the natural stream and from the water inlet in the mesocosm channels. The overall results highlight the importance of sequential exposures to insecticides for understanding the full impact of insecticides on macroinvertebrates at the community level in streams. | acceptedVersion

peer reviewed | Contaminant levels are lower in Antarctica than elsewhere in the world because of its low anthropogenic activities. However, the northern region of the Antarctic Peninsula, is close to South America and experiences the greatest anthropogenic pressure in Antarctica. Here, we investigated, in two Antarctic Peninsula islands, intra and interspecific factors that influence the concentrations of 17 trace elements (TEs) in blood and feathers of three penguin species breeding sympatrically in relation to their trophic ecology assessed via a stable isotopic approach (C, N and S). Geographical location, foraging zone (δ13C and δ34S) and diet influences the interspecific difference, and sex and maturity stage diet influence the intraspecific difference of Pygoscelis penguins. Penguins from Livingston showed higher values (mean, ng. g−1, dry weight - dw) of Zn (103), Mn (0.3), and Fe (95) than those from King George Island (Zn: 80, Mn: 1.9, and Fe: 11). Gender-related differences were observed, as males showed significantly higher values (mean, ng. g−1, dw) of Rb (3.4) and δ15N in blood of gentoo, and Ca (1344) in Adélie feathers. Chicks of gentoo and Adélie presented higher Zn, Mg, Ca, and Sr and lower 13C values in blood than adults. The highest concentrations (mean, ng. g−1, dw) of Cd (0.2) and Cu (26), and the lowest δ15N values were found in chinstrap. Geographical, intraspecific (i.e., ontogenetic and gender-related) and interspecific differences in feeding seemed to have influenced TE and stable isotope values in these animals. The TE bioaccumulation by penguins may have also been influenced by natural enrichment in environmental levels of these elements, which seems to be the case for Fe, Zn, and Mn. However, the high level of some of the TEs (Mn, Cd, and Cr) may reflect the increase of local and global human activities.

peer reviewed | Soil-borne diseases have become increasingly problematic for farmers producing crops intensively under protected agriculture. Although soil fumigants are convenient and effective for minimizing the impact of soil-borne disease, they are most often detrimental to beneficial soil microorganisms. Previous research showed that bio-activation of soil using biological control agents present in biofertilizers or organic fertilizers offered promise as a strategy for controlling soil-borne pathogens when the soil was bio-activated after fumigation. Our research sought to determine how bio-activation can selectively inhibit pathogens while promoting the recovery of beneficial microbes. We monitored changes in the soil's physicochemical properties, its microbial community and reductions in soil-borne pathogens. We found that the population density of Fusarium and Phytophthora were significantly reduced and tomato yield was significantly increased when the soil was bio-activated. Soil pH and soil catalase activity were significantly increased, and the soil's microbial community structure was changed, which may have enhanced the soil's ability to reduce Fusarium and Phytophthora. Our results showed that soil microbial diversity and relative abundance of beneficial microorganisms (such as Sphingomonas, Bacillus, Mortierella and Trichoderma) increased shortly after bio-activation of the soil, and were significantly and positively correlated with pathogen suppression. The reduction in pathogens may have been due to a combination of fumigation-fertilizer that reduced pathogens directly, or the indirect effect of an optimized soil microbiome that improved the soil's non-biological factors (such as soil pH, fertility structure), enhanced the soil's functional properties and increased tomato yield.

peer reviewed | Mercury (Hg) concentrations have significantly increased in oceans during the last century. This element accumulates in marine fauna and can reach toxic levels. Seafood consumption is the main pathway of methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity in humans. Here, we analyzed total Hg (T-Hg) concentrations in two oceanic squid species (Ommastrephes bartramii and Thysanoteuthis rhombus) of an increasing commercial interest off Martinique, French West Indies. Stable isotope ratios reveal a negative linear relationship between δ15N or δ13C in diamondback squid samples. No significant trend was observed between δ34S values and T-Hg concentrations, contrasting with the sulfate availability and sulfide abundance hypotheses. This adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting Hg methylation via sulfate-reducing bacteria is not the main mechanism driving Hg bioavailability in mesopelagic organisms. All squid samples present T-Hg levels below the maximum safe consumption limit (0.5 ppm), deeming the establishment of a commercial squid fishery in the region safe for human consumption.

Livers of caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) from Canada (n = 146), Greenland (n = 30), Svalbard (n = 7), and Sweden (n = 60) were analyzed for concentrations of eight perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and four perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids. In Canadian caribou, PFNA (range < 0.01–7.4 ng/g wet weight, ww) and PFUnDA (<0.01–5.6 ng/g ww) dominated, whereas PFOS predominated in samples from South Greenland, Svalbard, and Sweden, although the highest concentrations were found in caribou from Southwest Greenland (up to 28 ng/g ww). We found the highest median concentrations of all PFAS except PFHxS in Akia-Maniitsoq caribou (Southwest Greenland, PFOS 7.2–19 ng/g ww, median 15 ng/g ww). The highest concentrations of ΣPFAS were also found in Akia-Maniitoq caribou (101 ng/g ww) followed by the nearby Kangerlussuaq caribou (45 ng/g ww), where the largest airport in Greenland is situated, along with a former military base. Decreasing trends in concentrations were seen for PFOS in the one Canadian and three Swedish populations. Furthermore, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, and PFTrDA showed decreasing trends in Canada’s Porcupine caribou between 2005 and 2016. In Sweden, PFHxS increased in the reindeer from Norrbotten between 2003 and 2011. The reindeer from Västerbotten had higher concentrations of PFNA and lower concentrations of PFHxS in 2010 compared to 2002. Finally, we observed higher concentrations in 2010 compared to 2002 (albeit statistically insignificant) for PFHxS in Jämtland, while PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, and PFTrDA showed no difference at all. | publishedVersion