CHLORINATED HYDROCARBON (HCB, DDTs AND PCBs LEVELS IN CETACEANS STRANDED ALONG THE ITALIAN COASTS: AN OVERVIEW

Concentrations of HCB, DDTs and PCBs in the tissues andorgans of cetaceans ( Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus, Balaenoptera physalus, Steno bredanensis}, Grampus griseus} and Globicephala melaena) strandedalong the Italian coasts in the period 1987–1993 are reported. The values are compared between speciesand between specimens of the samespecies. Chlorinated hydrocarbon (CH) levels were found toincrease in relation to the quantity andtype of lipids in each tissue and organ. Differences inaccumulation encountered in the differentspecies are principally due to different feeding habitats.Remarkable differences found between malesand females of each species confirm that during gestation andlactation, females undergo disintoxication by passing much of their total burden of CHs to their young.     

Changes of movement patterns from early dispersal to settlement

Moving and spatial learning are two intertwined processes: (a) changes in movement behavior determine the learning of the spatial environment, and (b) information plays a crucial role in several animal decision-making processes like movement decisions. A useful way to explore the interactions between movement decisions and learning of the spatial environment is by comparing individual behaviors during the different phases of natal dispersal (when individuals move across more or less unknown habitats) with movements and choices of breeders (who repeatedly move within fixed home ranges), that is, by comparing behaviors between individuals who are still acquiring information vs. individuals with a more complete knowledge of their surroundings. When analyzing movement patterns of eagle owls, Bubo bubo, belonging to three status classes (floaters wandering across unknown environments, floaters already settled in temporary settlement areas, and territory owners with a well-established home range), we found that: (1) wandering individuals move faster than when established in a more stable or fixed settlement area, traveling larger and straighter paths with longer move steps; and (2) when floaters settle in a permanent area, then they show movement behavior similar to territory owners. Thus, movement patterns show a transition from exploratory strategies, when animals have incomplete environmental information, to a more familiar way to exploit their activity areas as they get to know the environment better.     

Comparative Evaluation of Biomonitoring Techniques of Tropospheric Ozone

During a survey of tropospheric ozone pollution carried out using tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cv. Bel-W3, ozone- supersensitive, and cv. Bel-B, ozone-resistant, as bioindicators, the effectiveness of the traditional biomonitoring method, based on the use of adult plants, was compared with an innovative miniaturized kit of seedlings. The ratio of foliar and cotyledonar necrosis, respectively, was estimated as ozone injury rate. The miniaturized kit proved to be advantageous, since seedlings need only easy growth procedures and a large number of individuals can be placed in a small space, supplying good data amounts for statistical elaboration. Moreover, correlation studies among cotyledonar and foliar injury index and ozone levels monitored through physico-chemical measurements and results of analysis of variance tests highlighted the high sensitivity of the innovative methodology.     

Natural and enhanced biodegradation of propylene glycol in airport soil

Aircraft de-icing fluids (ADF) are a source of water and soil pollution in airport sites. Propylene glycol (PG) is a main component in several commercial formulations of ADFs. Even though PG is biodegradable in soil, seasonal overloads may result in occasional groundwater contamination. Feasibility studies for the biostimulation of PG degradation in soil have been carried out in soil slurries, soil microcosms and enrichment cultures with and without the addition of nutrients (N and P sources, oligoelements), alternative electron acceptors (nitrate, oxygen releasing compounds) and adsorbents (activated carbon). Soil samples have been taken from the contaminated area of Gardermoen Airport Oslo. Under aerobic conditions and in the absence of added nutrients, no or scarce biomass growth is observed and PG degradation occurs by maintenance metabolism at constant removal rate by the original population of PG degraders. With the addition of nutrient, biomass exponential growth enhances aerobic PG degradation also at low temperatures (4 ° C) that occur at the high season of snowmelt. Anaerobic PG degradation without added nutrients still proceeds at constant rate (i.e. no biomass growth) and gives rise to reduced fermentation product (propionic acid, reduced Fe and Mn, methane). The addition of nitrate does not promote biomass growth but allows full PG mineralization without reduced by-products. Further exploitation on the field is necessary to fully evaluate the effect of oxygen releasing compounds and adsorbents.     

Image processing tools in the study of environmental contamination by microplastics: reliability and perspectives

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Microplastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental concerns for contemporary times and the future. In the last years, the number of...     

Soil Zinc contamination from corrosion of galvanized structures

The present work relates to galvanized structures with several years of time life subjected to atmospheric corrosion, like galvanized high tension steel pylons. The mass and fate of zinc released is evaluated both via empirical and experimental procedures. The corrosion rate determination requested atmospheric condition characterization, especially for SO 2 concentration and experimental activities focused on soil sampling around pylons. The soil zinc content, total and exchangeable, is determinates by different analytical procedures. The zinc diffusion in environment and the zinc extension under the top soil is evaluated using 1-dimensional mathematical model for miscible species in porous soil.