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Dominech S, Federico C, Brusca L, Fornasaro S, Bellomo S, D'Alessandro W. Exploring Rare Earth Element behavior in the Mount Etna volcanic aquifers (Sicily). ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:237. [PMID: 38849684 PMCID: PMC11161542 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-02020-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
This study presents the first data on REY (Rare Earth Elements plus Yttrium) in the aquifer of Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy). Patterns normalized to chondrites indicate strong water-rock interaction, facilitated by a slightly acidic pH resulting from the dissolution of magma-derived CO2. REY patterns provide insights into the processes of both mineral dissolution and the formation of secondary phases. The relative abundance of light to heavy rare earth elements is compatible with the prevailing dissolution of ferromagnesian minerals (e.g., olivine or clinopyroxenes), reinforced by its strong correlation with other proxies of mineral dissolution (e.g., Mg contents). Pronounced negative Ce anomalies and positive Y anomalies demonstrate an oxidizing environment with continuous formation of secondary iron and/or manganese oxides and hydroxides. The Y/Ho fractionation is strongly influenced by metal complexation with bicarbonate complexes, a common process in C-rich waters. In the studied system, the measured REY contents are always below the limits proposed by Sneller et al. (2000, RIVM report, Issue 601,501, p. 66) for surface water and ensure a very low daily intake from drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Dominech
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Palermo, Via La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Cinzia Federico
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Palermo, Via La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Brusca
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Palermo, Via La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Silvia Fornasaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Via Santa Maria 53, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sergio Bellomo
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Palermo, Via La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Walter D'Alessandro
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Palermo, Via La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
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Spampinato M, Siciliano A, Travaglione A, Chianese T, Mileo A, Libralato G, Guida M, Trifuoggi M, De Gregorio V, Rosati L. Unravelling the ecotoxicological impacts of gadolinium (Gd) on Mytilus galloprovincialis embryos and sperm in seawater: A preliminary study. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31087. [PMID: 38826730 PMCID: PMC11141363 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
As the demand for rare earth elements (REEs) continues to surge in diverse industrial and medical domains, the ecological consequences of their ubiquitous presence have garnered heightened attention. Among the REEs, gadolinium (Gd), commonly used in medical imaging contrast agents, has emerged as a pivotal concern due to its inadvertent introduction into marine ecosystems via wastewater release. This study delves into the complex ecotoxicological implications of Gd contamination, focusing on its impact on the embryonic development and sperm functionality of Mytilus galloprovincialis. The findings from this study underscore the potential hazards posed by this rare element, offering a critical perspective on the ecological risks associated with Gd. Notably, this exploratory work reveals that Gd exerts a significant embryotoxic effect at elevated concentrations, with an observed half maximal effective concentration (EC50) value of 0.026 mg/L. Additionally, Gd exposure leads to a considerable reduction in sperm motility and alters sperm morfo-kinetic parameters, especially at a concentration of 5.6 mg/L. The results highlight a dose-dependent relationship between Gd exposure and the prevalence of specific malformation types in Mytilus embryos, further providing crucial insights into the potential risks imposed by this rare earth element.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Spampinato
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, 90133, Italy
| | - Antonietta Siciliano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Travaglione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Teresa Chianese
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Aldo Mileo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Libralato
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Guida
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, 90133, Italy
| | - Marco Trifuoggi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Vicinale Cupa Cintia 26, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Vincenza De Gregorio
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Rosati
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia 4, 80126, Naples, Italy
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Jiang T, He S, Wang J, Li M, Chen J, Zhang D, Zhang R, Tao F, Yao Y, Hao J, Ji D, Liang C. The association between levels of samarium, hafnium, tungsten and rhenium in seminal plasma and the risk of idiopathic oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia in men of childbearing age. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:668-681. [PMID: 38017218 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31017-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (OAT) is a global public health problem, which affects 30% men of childbearing age. Meanwhile, with the rapid development of industry and economy, the contents of rare earth elements (REEs) in the environment are increasing. However, little is known about the associations between REEs levels and OAT risk. To evaluate the associations between the levels of four REEs (samarium (Sm), hafnium (Hf), tungsten (W), rhenium (Re)) in seminal plasma and OAT risk, from October 2021 to November 2022, semen samples from 924 men of childbearing age (460 controls and 464 cases) were collected from the reproductive center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure the levels of Sm, Hf, Re and W in seminal plasma. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was conducted to explore the joint effects of levels of four REEs in seminal plasma on the risk of OAT and select the one exerting a major role; generalized linear regression models (GLM) with log link function were employed to investigate the association of every REE level in seminal plasma and OAT risk; sankey diagram and linear regression models were utilized to describe the associations between the levels of four REEs and the indexes of sperm quality. The levels of four REEs in seminal plasma were higher in the case group than levels in the control group (pSm = 0.011, pHf = 0.040, pW = 0.062, pRe = 0.001, respectively). In BKMR analysis, the OAT risk increased when the overall levels of four REEs were higher than their 55th percentile compared to all of them at their 50th percentile, and Re level played a major role in the association. Additionally, Re level in seminal plasma was positively associated with the OAT risk in the single element model after adjustment of covariates (medium vs. low: OR (95% CI) = 1.55 (1.10, 2.18); high vs. low: OR (95% CI) = 1.69 (1.18, 2.42)). Lastly, the sankey diagram and linear regression models revealed that Sm level was negatively associated with the PR%, total sperm count and total progressively motile sperm count; Hf level was negatively associated with the PR%; W and Re levels were negatively associated with the PR% and total motility, and Re level was positively associated with abnormal morphology rate. Men of childbearing age with OAT had higher levels of Sm, Hf and Re in seminal plasma than those in the control group. An increasing trend for the OAT risk was observed with an increase in mixture levels of Sm, Hf, W and Re, and Re exposure level played a major role in the association whether in BKMR model or single element model. Additionally, the levels of these four REEs were negatively associated with the indexes of sperm quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Jiang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Shitao He
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jieyu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Mengzhu Li
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jiayi Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Dongyang Zhang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Runtao Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Yuyou Yao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jiahu Hao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Dongmei Ji
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Chunmei Liang
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the people's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
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Gambardella C, Miroglio R, Trenti F, Guella G, Panevska A, Sbrana F, Grunder M, Garaventa F, Sepčić K. Assessing the toxicity of aegerolysin-based bioinsecticidal complexes using the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus as model organism. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 264:106727. [PMID: 37866166 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
The use of alternative solutions for pest management to replace pesticides in agriculture is of great interest. Proteinaceous complexes deriving from edible oyster mushrooms were recently proposed as environmentally friendly bioinsecticides. Such complexes, composed of ostreolysin A6 (OlyA6) and pleurotolysin B (PlyB), target invertebrate-specific membrane sphingolipids in insect's midgut, causing death through the formation of transmembrane pores. In this work, the potential impact of OlyA6/PlyB complexes was tested in the Mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, as an indicator of environmental quality. The ability of the fluorescently tagged OlyA6 to bind sea urchin gametes (sperm, eggs), the lipidome of sea urchin gametes, and the potential toxic effects and developmental anomalies caused by OlyA6/PlyB complexes on P. lividus early development (embryo, larvae) were investigated. The binding of the fluorescently tagged OlyA6 could be observed only in sea urchin eggs, which harbor OlyA6 sphingolipid membrane receptors, conversely to sperm. High protein concentrations affected sea urchin fertilization (>750 µg/L) and early development (> 375 µg/L in embryos; >100 µg/L in larvae), by causing toxicity and morphological anomalies in embryos and larvae. The main anomalies consisted in delayed embryos and incorrect migration of the primary mesenchyme cells that caused larval skeletal anomalies. The classification of these anomalies indicated a slight environmental impact of OlyA6/PlyB complexes at concentrations higher than 750 µg/L. Such impact should not persist in the marine environment, due to the reversible anomalies observed in sea urchin embryos and larvae that may promote defense strategies. However, before promoting the use of OlyA6/PlyB complexes as bio-pesticides at low concentrations, further studies on other marine coastal species are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Gambardella
- National Research Council-Institute for the Study of the Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS), Genoa, Italy.
| | - Roberta Miroglio
- National Research Council-Institute for the Study of the Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS), Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesco Trenti
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Graziano Guella
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Anastasija Panevska
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Francesca Sbrana
- National Research Council- Institute of Biophysics (CNR-IBF), Genoa, Italy
| | - Maja Grunder
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Francesca Garaventa
- National Research Council-Institute for the Study of the Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS), Genoa, Italy
| | - Kristina Sepčić
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Oluwasola IE, Ahmad AL, Shoparwe NF, Ismail S. Gadolinium based contrast agents (GBCAs): Uniqueness, aquatic toxicity concerns, and prospective remediation. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2022; 250:104057. [PMID: 36130428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.104057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The current toxicity concerns of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have birthed the need to regulate and, sometimes restrict its clinical administration. However, tolerable concentration levels of Gd in the water sector have not been set. Therefore, the detection and speedy increase of the anthropogenic Gd-GBCAs in the various water bodies, including those serving as the primary source of drinking water for adults and children, is perturbing. Nevertheless, the strongly canvassed risk-benefit considerations and superior uniqueness of GBCAs compared to the other ferromagnetic metals guarantees its continuous administration for Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) investigations regardless of the toxicity concerns. Unfortunately, findings have shown that both the advanced and conventional wastewater treatment processes do not satisfactorily remove GBCAs but rather risk transforming the chelated GBCAs to their free ionic metal (Gd 3+) through inadvertent degradation processes. This unintentional water processing-induced GBCA dechelation leads to the intricate pathway for unintentional human intake of Gd ion. Hence exposure to its probable ecotoxicity and several reported inimical effects on human health such as; digestive symptoms, twitching or weakness, cognitive flu, persistent skin diseases, body pains, acute renal and non-renal adverse reactions, chronic skin, and eyes changes. This work proposed an economical and manageable remediation technique for the potential remediation of Gd-GBCAs in wastewater, while a precautionary limit for Gd in public water and commercial drinks is advocated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idowu Ebenezer Oluwasola
- School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal 14300, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; School of Science and Computer Studies, Food Technology Department, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State 360231, Nigeria.
| | - Abdul Latif Ahmad
- School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal 14300, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
| | - Noor Fazliani Shoparwe
- Gold, Rare Earth, and Material Technopreneurship Centre (GREAT), Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600 Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia.
| | - Suzylawati Ismail
- School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal 14300, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
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