We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Development of a holistic approach for river health assessment: from bioindicators to the ecosystem
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers combined chemical, ecological, and fish biomarker data in a citizen-science assessment of the Elsa River in Italy, finding that water quality and ecological health declined progressively downstream, with microplastic ingestion by chub fish peaking near urbanized zones alongside genotoxic effects linked to mercury and organic pollutants.
Freshwater ecosystems are crucial for biodiversity conservation, pollution mitigation and climate regulation. However, anthropogenic pressures, including agricultural and industrial activities and urbanisation, degrade water quality and ecological status. This study assessed the health of the Elsa River, a tributary of the Arno in Tuscany (Italy), through an integrated and holistic methodology combining chemical, ecological and ecotoxicological parameters. Water quality (nitrate, phosphate, ammonium concentrations and pH) was assessed through a citizen science project. This initiative actively involved local communities and high schools, fostering the sharing of local knowledge to identify sampling sites and address territorial challenges. Ecological status was assessed using the Extended Biotic Index (EBI) and Fluvial Functionality Index (FFI). Italian chubs (Squalius squalus) were employed as bioindicators to investigate microplastic ingestion, contaminant levels (heavy metals, organochlorines) and a battery of biomarkers for evaluating genotoxic, neurotoxic effects, oxidative stress, metabolic stress and the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites. The results showed a progressive decline in water quality and ecological status from upstream to downstream, particularly after the urbanised area and the river park, where microplastic ingestion in fish peaked at 2.5 items/individual. A genotoxic effect was highlighted, significantly correlated with the presence of mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls and benzo(a)pyrene's metabolites. This holistic approach, integrating physico-chemical analysis, ecological assessments and ecotoxicological effects on biota, provided a comprehensive understanding of the river's health. It enabled the identification of contaminants and hypothesised their sources, like illegal urban waste disposal, vehicular traffic and polluted tributaries.
More Papers Like This
Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in River Ecosystems: Effect of Land Use and Biotic Indices
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed microplastic pollution in Spanish river ecosystems and found that concentrations in both water and sediment were strongly linked to surrounding urban land use. They discovered that traditional water quality assessments based on biological indicators do not capture microplastic contamination effectively. The study suggests that new monitoring approaches are needed to account for this emerging pollutant in river health evaluations.
Following the fate of microplastic in four abiotic and biotic matrices along the Ticino River (North Italy)
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were tracked across water, sediment, invertebrates, and fish along the length of the Ticino River in northern Italy, providing the first multi-matrix assessment of plastic contamination along this river. The study found increasing concentrations downstream and showed that all sampled biological matrices contained microplastics, confirming systemic contamination throughout the river ecosystem.
Microplastic contamination across trophic levels in a lowland spring watercourse of Northwestern Italy: New insights and biomonitoring implications
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic contamination was measured across trophic levels (algae, invertebrates, fish) in a lowland river ecosystem, finding that concentrations increased in organisms at higher levels of the food web. The trophic transfer data suggest that microplastics bioaccumulate through freshwater food chains.
Microplastic Contamination and Ecological Status of Freshwater Ecosystems: A Case Study in Two Northern Portuguese Rivers
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastic contamination was assessed in sediments and Oligochaeta gut contents across two rivers with different ecological status scores, finding that urbanization rather than ecological status was the primary driver of sediment microplastic abundance. The results indicate that ecological quality indices alone are insufficient for tracking microplastic pollution in freshwater systems.
Transport and Deposition of Microplastics and Mesoplastics along the River Course: A Case Study of a Small River in Central Italy
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analysed plastic pollution in water, sediment, and caddisfly larval cases along the full course of the River Mignone in central Italy, from headwaters to the sea, using the River Continuum Concept framework. They found microplastics and mesoplastics throughout the river, with concentrations and polymer types varying along the course, and no clear correlation with standard water quality biological indices.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.