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Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in environmental matrices is increasingly being studied due to its environmental persistence, global occurrence, bioaccumulation, and associated human health risks. Some indoor environments can significantly impact the health of occupants due to pollutants in indoor air and household dust. To investigate the potential exposure of individuals to PFOA in specific confined environments, this study reports an analytical method and results concerning the determination of PFOA in household dust, used as a passive sampler. To the best of our knowledge, this paper represents one of the first studies concerning PFOA concentrations in indoor dust collected in the south of Italy, within the European region. A total of twenty-three dust samples were collected from two different areas of Sicily (Palermo and Milena), extracted, and analyzed by an UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS system. Finally, PFOA exposure was estimated using a new index (Indoor PFOA Exposure Index, IPEX) that incorporates the PFOA levels in dust, exposure time, and the correlation between the PFOA in dust and blood. It was then compared across four different exposure groups, revealing that PFOA exposure for people working in chemistry laboratories was evaluated to be ten times higher than the exposure for homemakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Zinc (Zn) deficiency in crops is commonly aggravated by high levels of phosphorus (P) in soil. In this work, the initial performance of pot‐growing maize in response to the available P and Zn in soils with low available Zn and to the application of P and Zn fertilizers was investigated. RESULTS: The soils (six non‐calcareous and 14 calcareous) ranged widely in available P (Olsen P: 5.5–37.9 mg kg−1), were poor in available Zn [diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid‐extractable Zn (ZnDTPA): 0.20–0.84 mg kg−1] and had an Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio of 13 to 111 mg mg−1. Soil P application generally increased aerial dry matter (ADM) yield; Zn increased ADM yield mostly when applied in combination with P; and the sole application of Zn increased yield only in a soil with a high (28 mg kg−1) Olsen P and a low (0.36 mg kg−1) ZnDTPA. The increase in ADM yield resulting from optimal application of P and/or Zn to the soil was modest in soils where the Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio was 30–60 and Olsen P was >14 mg kg−1. Zinc uptake by the control plants was correlated with the ZnDTPA of the soil. For a certain ZnDTPA value, the level of plant available Zn was higher in non‐calcareous than in calcareous soils. CONCLUSION: Soil application of fertilizer P and Zn, in soils with low levels of available Zn, should not only aim at increasing the available P and Zn levels but also balancing them at the appropriate Olsen P/ZnDTPA ratio, which was found to lie in the 30–60 range in the present study. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomopathogenic fungi (EF) have so far aroused little interest as plant growth promoters or nutritional enhancers while protecting the plant against insect pests and mites. In this work, we examined the performance of Triticum durum and Triticum aestivum plants pot‐grown on two unsterilized Zn‐poor calcareous Vertisols and inoculated with Beauveria bassiana or Metarhizium brunneum by application to soil or seed dressing. The effects of fungal inoculation were found to depend on crop species, soil type, sampling time and fungus application method. While the height of the control plants tended to be significantly greater than the height of inoculated plants at early and intermediate growth stages, the trend changed at more advanced plant stage of development, 56 days after sowing (DAS). This was supported by the significant increase in aerial dry matter (ADM) in T. aestivum plants treated with B. bassiana by seed dressing (17.4%) or with M. brunneum with soil application and seed dressing (20.6 and 26.9%, respectively) 69 DAS. In T. durum, at harvest, seed dressing with B. bassiana or M. brunneum had an overall positive but not significant effect on ADM or grain yield, whereas direct application to the soil slightly decreased grain yield (6.6 and 5.5%, respectively) and ADM (5.3 and 6.1%, respectively). In T. aestivum, none of the fungus–application method combinations affected yield at harvest significantly. Fungal inoculation had little influence on nutrient uptake, whereas application to soil increased Mn uptake and grain Mn concentration in T. durum. Zinc uptake was significantly increased only in T. aestivum grown on the soil with the lowest Zn content treated with M. brunneum. Grain Zn concentration tended to be inversely related to grain yield. These results support seed dressing with EF as a promising green technology for sustainable crop protection and production with no adverse effects on plant performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of phosphorus (P) often induce zinc (Zn) deficiency in plants grown on Zn-poor soils. We investigated P-induced Zn deficiency in durum wheat (Triticum durum L. 'Carpio') grown on 16 noncalcareous and 31 calcareous soils differing in levels of available (Olsen) P and available (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable) Zn using micropots. A completely randomized factorial design with two levels of P (0 and 40 mg P kg−1 soil) and Zn (0 and 3 mg Zn kg−1 soil), i.e. four treatments ('control', + P, + Zn, and + PZn), were used. Grain yield of control plants depended mainly on the Olsen P level. Phosphorus had a negative effect on yield in 6 soils with Olsen P/ZnDTPA > 25, and Zn a positive one in 5 soils with Olsen P/ZnDTPA > 50; and the + PZn treatment generally resulted in the highest yield. Grain Zn concentration of control plants was negatively correlated with growth and Olsen P. Calcareous soils were less sensitive to P-induced Zn deficiency than noncalcareous soils because phosphate is sorbed by calcite rather than being co-adsorbed with Zn on the Fe oxides. Co-application of P and Zn to soil at low and application of Zn at high Olsen P ensured both maximum yield and grain Zn bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper increases the knowledge on the potential use of Cu-contaminated agricultural soils with tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.). The effect of Cu and its interaction with soil properties on plant biomass production and on the accumulation of this metal in plant tissues were evaluated by conducting biomass assays in four representative Mediterranean agricultural soils contaminated by Cu. Copper toxicity on plant biomass production, evaluated through the effective concentrations of Cu added to soil that reduce the biomass production by 50% (EC50) and by 10% (EC10), was higher in soils having less soil organic matter and clay content and even in soils with favourable properties but having salinity. For the cases in which tomato was collected, Cu concentrations in them were similar for all soils and doses and never exceed the maximum Cu concentration allowed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission Regulation (10 mgCu kg−1 in fresh weight basis). According to our results, tomato could be cropped in Cu-contaminated Mediterranean agricultural soils when concentrations of Cu determined in them rely between their respective EC50 and EC10, because production and quality of fruits, the latter understood as the Cu concentration in them, would not be compromised. For the soils assayed, these values would range between 32·9 and 1696·5 mg kg−1, depending on soil properties. Because the baseline value considered is similar to those established in other parts of the European Mediterranean region, these results can be used as guidance for this region to establish adequate phytoremediation strategies and prevent land degradation processes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to some European Institutions (European Environment Agency, Commission of the European Communities), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) could be a better tool to assist natural resource protection in the context of land use planning than when used only for assessing specific projects. Environmental assessment of planning instruments allows the comparison of different alternatives and to scope the analysis and evaluation of relevant impacts when developing projects in the alternatives selected. This paper develops a minimum indicator set useful to evaluate natural resources quality at municipality level as a basis for assessing environmental impacts derived from land use planning instruments and from specific projects in the Valencian region, a representative area of the European Mediterranean Region. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), a minimum set of 12 indicators which referred to relevant natural resources (air, water, soil and biodiversity) was defined and used to assess the resources quality of different municipalities of the Valencian region, following a value-function based approach. The results obtained were very similar to those obtained in another study done in the same area that applied a broader set of indicators. These results and the potential reduction in costs estimated show the usefulness of the minimum set of indicators defined in this work for evaluating resources quality. As a demonstration exercise, the indicator set was applied to three municipalities representative of the different land use conflicts and environmental problems of the Valencian region, in order to assess the environmental impacts on natural resources that could be produced from the implementation of a hypothetic urban-industrial expansion plan, a usual land use pattern that has occurred in the European Mediterranean Region in the lasts decades. The results obtained show that coastal municipalities are better alternatives to implement an urban-industrial expansion than inland and intermediate municipalities in terms of environmental impacts although the loss of high productivity soils must be avoided. Given that the environmental issues considered are representative of the European Mediterranean Region, it follows that the approach developed in this work can be useful to predict environmental impacts on natural resources from planning instruments in the whole region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid-lowering strategies, particularly with statins, have been extremely useful in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, many patients who receive statin monotherapy do not achieve the desired cardiovascular benefits. Accumulation of cholesteryl esters within macrophages constitutes the hallmark of foam cells during atherogenesis. The action of acyl-coenzyme A (CoA): cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) leads to formation of cholesterol esters. There are two different ACAT isoforms: ACAT1 and ACAT2. A considerable interest to develop ACAT inhibitors has been emerging. This review has been focused on the current knowledge about a new ACAT inhibitor, F12511 or eflucimibe, and more particularly on its antiatherosclerotic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass production in marginal lands represents one of the most challenging and promising alternatives to sustainably produce biofuels. Native species seem to be the most adequate option to obtain a profitable output when low-input techniques are applied, and biomass is grown in depleted soils and harsh climatic conditions. In this study, a 5-year field trial in the island of Majorca served to investigate different autochthonous and naturalized Mediterranean perennial grasses as novel candidate lignocellulosic bioenergy crops for the semi-arid Mediterranean area and compare them with commercial ones (both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean). Species and growing season had a significant effect on biomass production, perennialism and biomass quality. Arundo donax (winter crops) and Piptatherum miliaceum (autumn crops) performed better than the commercial species tested (Panicum virgatum for winter crops and Festuca arundinacea for autumn crops) in biomass production and perennialism. In terms of biomass quality, Panicum virgatum was the best species, having high structural content (mainly cellulose and hemicellulose), low non-structural content and the lowest ash. However, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus and Arundo donax rendered similar results, with no significant difference in terms of cellulose production for this latter but with higher lignin content. For the autumn species, Festuca arundinacea was the species with the best biomass quality but with the highest ash production for all the species considered. Hence, both for winter or autumn regimes, native or naturalized plants seem to be better suited than the commercial commonly used for biomass production with energy-producing purposes. Further research must be conducted in terms of seed biology and physiology, seedbed preparation methods, sowing time, seedling density and weed control before they can firmly be proposed as adequate alternatives for energy purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomopathogenic fungi (EFs) are widely used as biological control agents. However, some strains of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium brunneum can also promote plant growth and increase nutrient uptake. We examined the effects of soil properties on the performance of Triticum durum inoculated by seed dressing with these EFs and grown on 12 agricultural soils. The plants were supplied with all nutrients except P and Zn (essential for yield and the grain quality of wheat). Fungal inoculation increased the grain yield and harvest index significantly with B. bassiana (17% and 14%, respectively) but not with M. brunneum (6% and 6%, respectively). The increase in grain yield was positively and moderately correlated with the soil available phosphorus (POlsen) in plants inoculated with B. bassiana and with the soil content in poorly crystalline Fe oxides with M. brunneum. In addition, the increase in aerial dry matter resulting from inoculation with B. bassiana was negatively correlated with soil available Zn. Furthermore, the observed increase in grain yields due to fungal inoculation resulted in P and Zn grain dilution (grain nutrient concentrations decrease). Inoculation with B. bassiana increased grain Zn uptake and the proportion of Zn in grain relative to that in aerial dry matter. Success in the mutualistic relationship between EF and wheat plants depends on the fungal strain and soil properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]