Nanosilver toxicity thresholds estimative for aquatic and sediment environmental safety

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been largely utilized. Despite that, comprehensive studies on their ecotoxicological effects and environmental risk are still required. In the present study, the AgNPs effect was assessed to some organisms including algae, plants, microcrustaceans, cnidaria, nematodes, aquatic insect, earthworm, and fish embryos. The no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) was calculated for each organism using a log-logistic function. AgNPs remained stable in contact with culture media during the analyzed period and conditions employed, presenting dispersion less than 20%, except for Artemia salina medium. On this occasion, NPs presented dispersion of approximately 25%, although their size remained unchangeable. The Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC) of AgNPs in the aquatic compartment was estimated in the concentration range from 0.13 to 0.66 µg L-1. A Risk Quotient (RQ) of 15.1 was derived for the NP tested with the aid of a maximum AgNPs Predicted Environmental Concentration (PEC) estimated value. The RQ value superior to one indicates a risk and the need for its management measures implementation. These data, in addition to the expected increase in AgNPs use, reinforce the importance of the AgNPs safety levels establishment that can contribute to performing their risk assessment studies.

Microplastics in the Aquatic Environment: Occurrence, Persistence, Analysis, and Human Exposure

Microplastics (MP) have recently been considered as emerging contaminants in the water environment. In the last number of years, the number of studies on MP has grown quickly due to the increasing consciousness of the potential risks for human health related to MP exposure. The present review article discusses scientific literature regarding MP occurrence and accumulation on the aquatic compartment (river, lake, wastewater, seafood), the analytical methods used to assess their concentration, their fate and transport to humans, and delineates the urgent areas for future research. To better analogize literature data regarding MP occurrence in the aquatic compartment we subdivided papers based on sampling, analytical methods, and concentration units with the aim to help the reader identify the similarities and differences of the considered research papers, thus making the comparison of literature data easier and the individuation of the most relevant articles for the reader’s interests faster. Furthermore, we argued about several ways for MP transport to humans, highlighting some gaps in analytical methods based on the reviewed publications. We suggest improving studies on developing standardized protocols to collect, process, and analyze samples.

A Practical Overview of Methodologies for Sampling and Analysis of Microplastics in Riverine Environments

Microplastics have recently been stated as being remarkable contaminants of all environmental matrices. The lack of consistent and standardised methods and protocols used to evaluate and quantify microplastics present in riverine systems made a comparison among different studies a critical issue. Based on literature research and the practical expertise of the authors, this work presents a complete collection and analysis of procedures concerning the monitoring of microplastics in riverine environments, focusing on their sampling and analytical protocols to identify, quantify, and characterise them. Further details regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each analytical technique described, such as general recommendations and suggestions, are provided to give practical support for analytical procedures. In particular, microplastics studies consist firstly of their sampling from the aquatic compartment (aqueous and solid phase). Based on the goal of the research, specific devices can be used to collect particles from different matrices. It follows their quantification after extraction from the environmental matrix, adopting different protocols to isolate microplastics from a large amount of organic matter present in a riverine system. In the end, additional qualitative analyses (e.g., RAMAN and FTIR spectroscopy, GC-MS) are required to identify the chemical composition of particles for a better image regarding the abundance of polymer types, their origin, or other information related to manufacturing processes.

Reactivity, fate and functional roles of dissolved organic matter in anoxic inland waters

The transit of organic matter (OM) through the aquatic compartment of its global cycle has been intensively studied, traditionally with a focus on the processing and degradation of its dissolved fraction (dissolved organic matter, DOM). Because this is so intimately related to oxidation, the notion tenaciously persists that where oxygen is absent, DOM turnover is markedly slowed. In this Opinion Piece, we outline how diverse processes shape, transform and degrade DOM also in anoxic aquatic environments, and we focus here on inland waters as a particular case study. A suite of biogeochemical DOM functions that have received comparatively little attention may only be expressed in anoxic conditions and may result in enhanced biogeochemical roles of these deoxygenated habitats on a network scale.

The Water Cycle, a Potential Source of the Bacterial PathogenBacillus cereus

The behaviour of the sporulating soil-dwellingBacillus cereus sensu lato(B. cereus sl) which includes foodborne pathogenic strains has been extensively studied in relation to its various animal hosts. The aim of this environmental study was to investigate the water compartments (rain and soil water, as well as groundwater) closely linked to the primaryB. cereus slreservoir, for which available data are limited.B. cereus slwas present, primarily as spores, in all of the tested compartments of an agricultural site, including water from rain to groundwater through soil. During rain events, leachates collected after transfer through the soil eventually reached the groundwater and were loaded withB. cereus sl. In groundwater samples, newly introduced spores of aB. cereusmodel strain were able to germinate, and vegetative cells arising from this event were detected for up to 50 days. This firstB. cereus slinvestigation in the various types of interrelated environments suggests that the consideration of the aquatic compartment linked to soil and to climatic events should provide a better understanding ofB. cereus slecology and thus be relevant for a more accurate risk assessment of food poisoning caused byB. cereus slpathogenic strains.

Are Fish and Standardized FETAX Assays Protective Enough for Amphibians? A Case Study onXenopus laevisLarvae Assay with Biologically Active Substances Present in Livestock Wastes

Biologically active substances could reach the aquatic compartment when livestock wastes are considered for recycling. Recently, the standardized FETAX assay has been questioned, and some researchers have considered that the risk assessment performed on fish could not be protective enough to cover amphibians. In the present study aXenopus laevisacute assay was developed in order to compare the sensitivity of larvae relative to fish or FETAX assays; veterinary medicines (ivermectin, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim) and essential metals (zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium) that may be found in livestock wastes were used for the larvae exposure. Lethal (LC50) and sublethal effects were estimated. Available data in both, fish and FETAX studies, were in general more protective than values found out in the current study, but not in all cases. Moreover, the presence of nonlethal effects, caused by ivermectin, zinc, and copper, suggested that several physiological mechanisms could be affected. Thus, this kind of effects should be deeply investigated. The results obtained in the present study could expand the information about micropollutants from livestock wastes on amphibians.

Aspects Concerning the Photo- and Biodegradation of Benzothiazoles in Aquatic Compartment

With the scope to provide complete decomposition of benzothiazoles in water environment, two approaches have been applied including the photocatalytic and biodegradation processes. A new type of continuous-action flow-through photocatalytic reactor was developed, in which it is possible to combine the homogeneous and heterogeneous destruction of refractory organic pollutants. The interactions between the different components of the aminobenzothiazole-containing system under the conditions of photo- and biodegradation (light, iron, free and immobilized bacterial strain Rhodococcus rhodochrous) were analysed. The combined systems “Fe ± light +Rh.rhodochrous” are more effective than simple systems.

Homogeneous (Fe(III)) and heterogeneous (TiO2) photocatalytic systems for pollutant removal from the aquatic compartment: comparison and complementarity

Kinetics of the oxidative photodegradation of monuron (3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-1-dimethylurea) in both homogeneous solution of Fe(ClO4)3 and heterogeneous suspension of TiO2, were investigated and compared. In the homogeneous system (Fe(III)), the speciation of Fe(III) aquacomplexes was shown to play an essential role in the rate of photodegradation. For high concentrations of TiO2 (> 500 mg L-1), the photodegradation rate was similar to the reaction rate obtained with a freshly prepared solution of Fe(III) (3 × 10-4 mol L-1). In the combined system (TiO2 + Fe(III)), a synergy effect accelerating the monuron photodegradation was observed. Actually, in the presence of Fe(III) (in concentration compatible with a safe environment), a similar reaction rate for monuron photodegradation was obtained with a TiO2 concentration lower by a factor of 20.