We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Health Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements, Persistence of NDL-PCB, PAHs, and Microplastics in the Translocated Edible Freshwater Sinotaia quadrata (Gasteropoda, Viviparidae): A Case Study from the Arno River Basin (Central Italy)
AI summary Read the abstract
Edible freshwater snails (Sinotaia quadrata) from the Arno River Basin were found to contain microplastics, PCBs, and potentially toxic elements, with contamination levels higher near greater anthropogenic activity. Human health risk assessment using Monte Carlo simulation found all contaminant levels within international safety thresholds, though the presence of microplastics in food-source species highlights ongoing dietary exposure pathways.
With this study we investigated the accumulation of potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn), six indicators (28, 52, 101, 138, 153, 180) of non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (Σ6 NDL-PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and microplastics in S. quadrata (edible part) collected from two sampling sites (1 and 2) from the Arno River Basin (Central Italy). A risk assessment of the implications for human health was also performed. Levels of potentially toxic elements in gastropods from site 2 were slightly higher and the Σ6 NDL-PCB concentration was significantly higher (7.32 ng g−1 vs. 3.07 ng g−1) compared to site 1 due to higher anthropogenic pressures. The concentration of chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo(a)pyrene was below the limit of quantification (0.5 μg kg−1). Benzo[a]anthracene was detected in gastropods from both sites (0.5 ± 0.02 μg kg−1 and 0.7 ± 0.02 μg kg−1 from site 1 and 2, respectively). The microplastics frequency (mainly polyethylene terephthalate) differed significantly between the sites (site 1, 0.8 ± 1.30; site 2, 1 ± 0.37 items/specimen). All contaminant levels were compliant with international regulatory limits and guidelines. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values for As, Cd, Cr, and Pb were far below the safety values of 1 × 10–4. Similarly, the ILCR values from the Monte Carlo simulation model were all within the safety region of 1 × 10–4 and 1 × 10–6. Findings from the health risk assessment indicated no adverse effects for human health from any of the contaminants analysed here, except for microplastics for which no limits or legislation are currently in force.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Organisms: An Ecotoxicological Perspective
AI summary Read the abstract
"This ecotoxicological review examined how microplastics accumulate in aquatic organisms across multiple trophic levels, documenting impacts on physiology, reproduction, and behavior, as well as the transport of associated chemical contaminants through food webs. Because humans sit at the top of aquatic food chains, the bioaccumulation dynamics described here translate directly into dietary microplastic exposure, making ecotoxicological endpoints in fish and shellfish key indicators of human health risk."
A Review Notes on Role, Behavior, Risk Assessment Tools, and Adverse Outcomes of Metal and Microplastic Pollution in Benthic Sea Food Ecosystem
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers review the combined effects of metal and microplastic pollution on benthic seafood ecosystems, examining how these co-occurring contaminants affect the health of marine organisms and the humans who consume them, along with the risk assessment tools used to evaluate exposure and outcomes.
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.