Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in poultry feed and the farm environment might bioaccumulate in poultry eggs. Unlike chickens, which are mostly raised in cages, ducks are commonly raised free range. This would expose ducks to CPs in the environment. However, information on the presence of CPs on duck farms is scarce. In the present study, samples of duck eggs, duck feathers, poultry feed, and soil were collected from 25 duck farms in South China. Forty-eight congener groups of short- and medium-chain CPs (SCCPs and MCCPs) were detected in the samples. Interestingly, relatively high concentrations of SCCPs and MCCPs were found in the duck feathers. The median concentrations of SCCPs and MCCPs in the duck eggs, feathers, feed and soil were: 46 and 18 ng/g wet weight, 2460 and 992 ng/g, 103 and 47 ng/g, and 24 and 10 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The dominant groups of SCCPs and MCCPs were C10Cl6-7 and C14Cl7-8, respectively. The close relationship between duck feathers and poultry feed indicated that the duck feathers might act as a bioindicator for the exposure of ducks to CPs. The margin of exposure approach was used to assess the health risk, with the results showing that the consumption of duck eggs posed a low risk to different age groups from exposure to SCCPs and MCCPs.

Bentazon (Basagran®) belongs to the chemical group of benzothiadiazinones. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the influence of herbicide bentazon (3 µg.L-1, 6 µg.L-1, 12 µg.L-1, 300 µg.L-1) in Danio rerio embryos development. The study tested environmental relevant concentrations of bentazon as well as the limit established for drinking water (300 µg.L-1) in Brazil. We performed behavioral and developmental analyzes during 96 h of exposure. The bentazon measurements after experimental period showed reduction ranging from 5.0 to 18.93% between exposed groups. Our results showed significant differences in the heart rate, which was significantly higher in groups exposed to all bentazon concentrations compared to control groups. The absence of alterations in the behavioral parameters showing that the herbicide bentazon at the concentrations tested had few adverse effects on the development and behavior of the Danio rerio embryos. Considering the toxic point of view, there is a chance that bentazon acts together with other environmental contaminants as an additive or synergistic way.

The current study was designed to assess the phytoremediation potential of Suaeda maritima has been assessed for cleanup of contaminated sediments with Cd, Ni and Pb. In so doing, totally, 20 sampling sites were selected in the Khorkhoran International Wetland. The contents of elements in sediments, plant organs and water samples were determined using ICP-OES. The mean contents of Cd, Ni and Pb (mg/kg) in the sediment samples were found to be 0.096, 38.1 and 1.78, respectively. Moreover, the mean levels of Cd, Ni and Pb (mg/kg) in root samples of S. maritime were 0.160, 2.72 and 1.22 respectively; whereas, in leaf samples they were found to be 0.157, 3.34 and 2.23 mg/kg, respectively. Furthermore, the mean contents of Cd, Ni and Pb (µg/L) in water samples were 243, 1440 and 3010, respectively. The values of BCF for Cd, BAF for Cd and Pb, and TF for Ni and Pb were higher than 1, which would indicate that S. maritima could possibly be a suitable candidate for the phytostabilization of Cd and the phytoextraction of Ni and Pb.

Biomonitoring is the qualitative observation and the measurement of biosphere parameters aimed at modelling the environment, evaluating its quality, and studying the effects of alterations on different ecological levels. In this work, trace metal concentrations were assessed using non-destructive biomonitoring tools as blood and feathers of the allochthonous aquatic bird Cairina moschata, collected within two areas of the Palermo metropolitan area, Sicily, differently exposed to air pollution: Parco D\'Orleans, in a central urban location, and Monreale, southwest of the city centre. Higher concentrations in both blood and feathers collected in Parco D\' Orleans were found for lead, tin and selenium, but the same was not observed for other metals. The concentrations were not above physiological tolerance in any case. The comparison between blood and feathers allowed to realize that the latter are more useful for biomonitoring analyses, as they are indicative of both external contamination and bioaccumulation. Treatment with nitric acid highlighted that the feathers collected in Parco D\' Orleans had higher metal bioaccumulation than the ones collected in Monreale; however, the treatment needs standardization. The present study confirms that feathers and blood from C. moschata are a convenient and non-destructive sampling tool for metal contamination analysis.

Estuaries are among the ecosystems most affected by human actions worldwide. Economic development in Morocco puts pressure on these aquatic systems, making them vulnerable. This study compares the state of benthic communities between a pristine estuary (Massa estuary) and a polluted one (Souss estuary). Both ecosystems belong to the Souss Massa National Park (SMNP), registered in the Ramsar list for its ecological importance as a Marine Protected Area (MPA). Twenty-one benthic species were identified in the pristine estuary, but only six species in the polluted one. Similar differences were detected for the species abundance and biomass. The total organic matter and the water-dissolved oxygen also revealed a notable negative effect of the sewage discharge. The results confirmed human disturbances on faunal communities related to direct wastewater inputs and indirect anthropogenic activities such as the urbanization and the litter generation. A combination of ending wastewater discharge and adding tertiary-level water treatment plants is recommended. The findings highlight the importance of MPAs in conservation strategies if coupled with continuous surveillance of pollution.

The conversion of forest into grassland can induce differentiation in the functional morphology of resilient species. To assess this effect, we have chosen a dung beetle Dichotomius problematicus, as a model species. We established 20 sampling points distributed along a transect for a forest and grassland located in the Podocarpus National Park in Ecuador. Four pit-fall traps were baited with pig feces per sample point and were left open for 48 h. We sexed and measured 13 morphological traits of 269 individuals. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling was carried out to evaluate the influence of habitat and sexual dimorphism on the traits. We applied a principal component analysis to evaluate the morphological features that best explain the differences between land use and sexual dimorphism. We used generalized linear models to evaluate the explanatory variables: habitat and sexual dimorphism with respect to morphological traits. Five traits contributed over 70% body thickness, Pronotum width, Pronotum length, Head width and Elytra length, following the results of a principal component analysis. Both habitat and sex influence traits. In the forest, the individuals are larger than grassland likely due to available resources, but in grassland, the structures in charge of the burial process head, protibia are larger, displaying a strong pronotum and possible a greater reproductive capacity given by spherecity. These patterns of changes in the size of beetles and their structures could reflect the conservation state of an ecosystem.

This work reports the first data on the content of plutonium (239+240Pu) in the muscle tissues of the Northern pike (Esox lucius) and the Siberian dace (Leiciscus baicalensis) inhabiting the middle reaches of the Yenisey River in the vicinity of the radioactive discharge site. An increase in the content of 239+240Pu and radiocaesium (137Cs) in pike muscles followed an increase in the volume of controlled discharges of these radionuclides to the Yenisey in 2018. The content of 239+240Pu in the muscles of pike (2-11 mBq/kg dry weight) and dace (1-4 mBq/kg dry weight) of the Yenisey fall within the range of values obtained by other authors for the ichthyofauna from water bodies contaminated with radioactive discharges from nuclear power plants and spent nuclear fuel processing plants. The ratio of the activity concentrations 239+240Pu/137Cs in fish muscles, compared with the similar ratios in other hydrobionts, indicates a significantly lower bioavailability of plutonium for fish. The obtained preliminary results make it possible to consider the Northern pike as a more prospective indicator of biologically available plutonium in the Yenisey than the dace.

Environmental monitoring in Northern Italy, one of the most polluted areas in Europe, is of paramount importance. Leaf monitoring throughout magnetic and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis could be considered a good complementary analysis to sampling stations, but the lack of evergreen plants in the northern Italy towns may hinder magnetic leaf analysis in the winter season. Therefore, we tested three species of urban vegetation, which are evergreen and commonly found in urban environment, namely Hedera helix L., Parietaria officinalis L. and Rubus caesius L. Magnetic susceptibility, chosen as a simple parameter suitable for monitoring, was measured in seven stations, during the period 25 January 2019 to 8 March 2019 at a weekly step, in the cities of Torino and Parma in the same days. P. officinalis and R. caesius showed the best response, but also H. helix was suitable to detect highly polluted areas. In Torino, the magnetic susceptibility decreased in the last sampling, together with PM10, whereas in Parma it increased, likely for the beginning of the academic period in the University Campus. SEM-EDS analysis was done comparing leaves from the same plant sampled in February 2019, in highly polluted conditions, and in May 2020, after 2 months of very limited traffic, due to national lockdown. Silicate grains of natural minerals, sized between 10 and 20 µm, are present in both samples, whereas Fe oxides, about one micron size, possibly coming from car brake consumption, are prominent in the February 2019 sample. Magnetic susceptibility of leaves form the examined species looks promising to spot urban sites with high metal pollution.

In Frongoch Mine (UK), it is unclear the distribution of metals on indigenous algae and whether these species of algae can accumulate metals. This study aimed to investigate the role of indigenous algae for metal removal from acid mine drainage and understand if metals can be adsorbed on the surface of algae or/and bioaccumulated in algae. A sequential extraction procedure was applied for algae samples collected from acid mine drainage (AMD) water to identify the forms in which metals are found in algae. Concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd were evaluated in the algae and AMD samples were collected in June and October 2019. AMDs samples had a pH value ranging between 3.5 and 6.9 and high concentrations of Zn (351 mg/L) and Pb (4.22 mg/L) that exceeded the water quality standards (Water Framework Directive, 2015). Algae Ulothrix sp. and Oedogonium sp. were the two main species in the Frongoch AMDs. The concentrations of metals in algae ranged from 0.007 to 51 mg/g, and the bioconcentration factor of metals decreased in the following order: Fe >  > Pb >  > Cu > Cd > Zn. It was found that Zn, Cu and Cd were adsorbed onto the surface of and bioaccumulated in the algae, while Pb and Fe were mainly bioaccumulated in the algae. Indigenous algae can be considered as a biogeochemical barrier where metals are accumulating and can be used in bioremediation methods. Also, indigenous algae could be used as a bioindicator to assess water pollution at Frongoch Mine and other similar metal mines.

Morphological characteristics are the leading indicators of the health status of birds. To explore the effects of heavy metals on bird morphometry in natural populations, tree sparrows (Passer montanus) were studied in a polluted site [Baiyin (BY)] and a relatively unpolluted site [Liujiaxia (LJX)]. This study aimed to examine whether morphological variables, the fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of the wing, tarsus, and toe length, were associated with heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) and Ca levels in different tissues and feces of adults and nestlings. Results showed that adults collected from BY contained relatively higher heavy metal concentrations and lower Ca concentrations in different tissues than those from LJX. Smaller body sizes and higher FA levels of adults and nestlings were found in BY than in LJX. Although higher heavy metal concentrations in some tissues were associated with smaller morphological characteristics of adults, the effects were not obvious in nestlings. The most correlated heavy metal with as many characteristics was heavy metal in primary feather in both sites, and the most affected characteristic was body mass in BY. The FA values of adults and nestlings in BY were positively affected by heavy metal concentrations in different tissues and feces. The growth rate of wing and tarsus length of nestlings in BY were negatively affected by the FA values of wing and tarsus length, respectively. Taken together, environmental metal pollution might affect the morphological characteristics of tree sparrows. These findings suggest that the morphological characteristics of tree sparrows, especially FA, can be used as indicators of metal pollution, underscoring the importance of measuring morphological characteristics in avian ecotoxicology field studies.