First steps in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) adoption for coastal planning in Sicily (South Italy)

The Industrial District (I.D.) of Messina was the first public authority to consider useful the application of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure for the development of an Industrial Plan regarding a coastal area. At the moment the I.D. includes six areas, but the application of the SEA concerns only the area of Pace del Mela (along the north-eastern coast of Sicily), where a “District of the two Seas” will be created, based on the synergetic development between an industrialized niche (shipbuilding) and touristic development (port and hotels). The area in which this type of intervention will occur is not in use at the moment and it was not possible to collect environmental data. For this reason, in order to describe the environmental features of this territory, we took into consideration a few indicators which could be easily identified, necessary for a post evaluation which considers the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the industrial and suburban structures to be built.     

Can a marine pest reduce the nutritional value of Mediterranean fish flesh?

Biological invasions are deemed as one of the most severe threats to biodiversity and can result in huge economic impacts on natural resources. Many studies have assessed structural changes caused by the introduction of nonindigenous species, but urgent questions remain to be answered about the complex indirect effects of invasive pests on marine biodiversity at the species and ecosystem level. Previous investigations focusing on the biological invasion by Caulerpa racemosa in the Mediterranean indicated that the lipophilic algal metabolite caulerpin accumulates in the tissues of the native edible white sea bream Diplodus sargus feeding on the exotic alga. The level of caulerpin in D. sargus has been thus used as an indicator of the trophic exposure of the fish to the seaweed and related with adverse effects on the fish health. In the present study, we show that the C. racemosa-based diet can also alter muscle fatty acids composition in the white sea bream by reducing the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 and n-6 series, such as eicosapentaenoic (C20:5), docosahexaenoic (C22:6) and arachidonic acids (C20:4). This represents both a real threat to the health of fish unable to biosynthesize these essential fatty acids and an impoverishment of an important source of essential fatty acids for human nutrition, which helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hepatic steatosis, cancer and neurological disorders. On the whole, this work sheds light on an unexplored and critical aspect of biological invasions with implication on the health of both humans and the environment.     

Satellite-based indices in the analysis of land cover for municipalities in the province of Siena, Italy

Territorial indicators based on the satellite measured reflected or emitted energy can provide valuable information on the spatial evolution of a territory. Information regarding land use, biomass coverage and radiant temperature were obtained from remotely obtained measurements for each municipality in the Province of Siena. Remotely sensed data were combined into different indices to compare characteristics of land cover between territories and create an information base for continued study. A classification was performed on a municipal level and land use classes were grouped together and a general index of use pressure was created. A vegetation index was used to compare biomass densities. A radiant temperature index was calculated using measure thermal infrared emissions. The results of these analyses allowed researchers to examine the intra and inter-municipal spatial heterogeneity within the Province. A comparison between the results of each index was made and the problems related to the use of such indices were examined.     

Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S release in milk under household conditions from baby bottles marketed in Italy

A simple and sensitive validated analytical method based on liquid chromatography coupled to tandem fluorescence (FD) and ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry was applied to monitor the presence of bisphenol A and bisphenol S in plastic baby bottles marketed in Italy. The limits of detection (LOD) were 3.75 ng mL^?1 and 80.00 ng mL^?1, and those of quantification (LOQ) were 12.51 ng mL^?1 and 260.00 ng mL^?1 for BPA (FD detection) and for BPS (UV detection), respectively. BPA was found in only four samples, two samples undergone to microwave heating and two samples undergone to bottle warmer heating either at 40°C or at 80°C. Although the quantities of leached BPA were well below the reference dose for daily intake established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (4.0 µg kg^?1 bw/day), the release of BPA and BPS from these plastic materials should be carefully considered by the government authorities to increase people's awareness on this issue and to protect the most vulnerable population group.     

Macrobenthic invertebrates as bioindicators of trace elements in high-mountain lakes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Alpine lakes are extreme ecosystems located in remote areas and populated by few but well-adapted species. Because of their remote location, they are...     

Drawing the baseline of trace element levels in the vulnerable Mediterranean osprey Pandion haliaetus: variations by breeding location,habitats, and egg components

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Due to its peculiarity to accumulate environmental contaminants, the osprey Pandion haliaetus is a sentinel species for the biomonitoring of...     

Proteomic analysis of chromate-induced modifications in Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata

In this work, we have analyzed the changes in the protein expression profile elicited by chromium (Cr) exposure in the freshwater green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, a well known bio-indicator of water pollution. We tested two experimental conditions, namely 0.2 and 1 ppm of potassium dichromate; this concentration range includes the environmentally-relevant concentrations. Results show that neither concentration of potassium dichromate tested inhibited algal growth. However, the proteomic approach allowed the identification of relevant modifications in protein expression. In fact, among 800 protein spots detected by two-dimensional electrophoresis, 16 Cr-regulated proteins, including predicted and novel ones, were identified using tandem mass spectromic protein analysis.The results demonstrate a Cr-specific action in altering several photosynthetic proteins, such as ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), RuBisCO activase, Light Harvesting Chla/b protein complex, and stress related Chla/b binding protein1. Although Cr toxicity with respect to photosynthesis has been already documented, here we have identified, for the first time, the target proteins of this toxicity. Cr also induced a modulation of some proteins involved in the metabolism of the amino acids glutamine, arginine and methionine. These data are supported by changes in cellular polyamine (PA) accumulation. Present findings provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying Cr toxicity in P. subcapitata.     

PCBs in the eggs of Eurasian kestrels indicate exposure to local pollution

Fail-to-hatch kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) eggs collected at the end of the 1999 and 2005 breeding seasons from nest boxes in and around the city of Rome, Italy, were analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection for their PCB content and for the presence of DDT derivatives and other organochlorines. Among the various PCBs, congeners 153 and 180 were detected in all the eggs and showed the highest concentrations. Eggs collected from the same nest from a polluted location in Rome during 2 different years showed similar type and number of PCB congeners. These data and the fact that eggs from another nest near a sulphate mine had, atypically, low-chlorinated congeners support the conclusion that eggs of this species, whose adults in the Mediterranean and continental Europe perform only short or no migration movements, might be indicative of local pollution. When multiple eggs in the same clutch were analyzed, the PCBs were similar in type but their concentration decreased within clutch, likely in parallel to the laying order.