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The previous assessment intends to support the inaugural International Mussel Watch program's use of marine mussels as biomonitors of potentially toxic metals in aquacultural areas has been considered of low novelty even though it is a necessary biomonitoring. When it is looked into the connections between Mussel Watch and Nexus seafood-water-energy, the questions can be raised up because there is apparently no such discussion in the literature. Therefore, the objective of this review is to discuss the connections between Mussel Watch for potentially toxic metals and Nexus seafood-water-energy, based on the topic reported in the literature separately. The current short review can act as a springboard for additional insights to offer fresh perspectives and original suggestions on using marine mussels more effectively in biomonitoring investigations in connections to Nexus seafood-water-energy. Nowadays, the biomonitoring by using Mussel Watch has remained effective and sustainable which further highlighted their importance in pollution monitoring. The likelihood of improved and wider-ranging molluscan uses in environmental monitoring in the future is almost inevitable. However, more research is still needed to address the rising demand in line with sustainable, attainable United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (‘‘Responsible consumption and production’’, and ‘Good Health and Well-beings’). This is surely a major player in the Nexus’s seafood in cycle with water and energy that should be addressed in future biomonitoring studies.

Intertidal gastropods, Faunus ater (F. ater), were collected from four sampling sites in Peninsular Malaysia. It was found that the concentrations of Zinc (Zn) (mg/kg dry weight) ranged from 347.23 to 356.21 for Digestive Caecum (DC), 95.00 to 100.91 for foot, 102.73 to 109.00 for muscle, 42.73 to 177.72 for operculum, 87.57 to 161.76 for remainder, and 24.42 to 53.96 for shell of F. ater. Current results indicate that the intertidal waters of Pantai Sri Tujoh has a higher bioavailability of Zn and require further research. According to the current findings, F. ater may be employed as a biomonitor of Zn pollution and bioavailability.

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is one of the most nutrient-intensive plantations in Malaysia. It requires many nutrients to reach its full potential and production stage. The main issue is that nutritional stress is a crop health issue caused by a lack of nutrient components to sustain crop growth requirements. We aimed to review the nutrient deficiency of oil palm based on an observation and literature study. The leaflet of the oil palm tree was analyzed for this study. The result showed that nutrient deficiency in oil palm is a common issue. Since oil palm is a heavy feeder plant that requires a well-balanced supply of nutrients, the continuous use of sustainable (eco-friendly) biofertilizers at a cost-effectively optimal level is necessary to achieve the maximum yield of oil palm. Though there are some inevitable causes of nutrient deficiencies, good management program should be carried out to lessen this problem and improve oil palm health and production.

The ecological and children’s Health Risk Assessments (HRA) of Copper (Cu) in aquatic bodies ranging from rivers, mangrove, estuaries, and offshore areas were studied using the Cited Cu Data in The Sediments (CCDITS) from 125 randomly selected papers published from 1980 to 2022. The ecological and children’s HRA were assessed in all CCDITS. Generally, local point Cu sources (8%) and lithogenic sources were the main controlling factors of Cu concentrations. The present review revealed three interesting points. First, there were 11 papers (8%) documenting Cu levels of more than 500 mg/kg dw while China was the country with the highest number (26%) of papers published between 1980 and 2022, out of 37 countries. Second, with the Cu data cited from the literature not normally distributed, the maximum Cu level was higher than all the established guidelines. However, the median Cu concentration was lower than most of the established guidelines. The median values of the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) indicated a status of ‘unpolluted‘ and ‘moderate contamination’ for the contamination factor (CF), and ‘low potential ecological risk’ for the ecological risk (ER) of Cu. However, the Cu ER could be based at present on the above mentioned 8% of the literature in the present study. Third, the calculated hazard index (HI) values were found to be below 1, indicating no potential chance of Cu non–carcinogenic effects in both adults and children, except for children’s HI values from Lake Pamvotis of Greece, and Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. Thus, regular monitoring (every 2 years), depending upon the available resources, is recommended to assess the ecological–health risk of Cu pollution in aquatic bodies to abate the risk of Cu exposure to children’s health and avoid injurious impacts on the biota. It can be concluded that there is always a need for the mitigation and management of a Cu exposure risk assessment that can be used successfully for screening purposes to detect important human health exposure routes. Consequently, any sediments contaminated with Cu require rapid sediment remediation techniques.

The present study aimed to test the efficiency of Hendersonia GanoEF biofertilizer against Ganoderma disease in the seedlings of oil palm (OP) Elaeis guineensis, and was carried out from February 2020 – January 2021 in Pulo Mandi Garden Nursery, at Medan, Indonesia. Experimental set up followed a completely randomized design with four treatments. Observation results showed that the percentage of root colonization by Hendersonia sp. in OP roots reached an average of 70.6% in the treatment with Ganoderma inoculation, and an average of 69.6% in the treatment without Ganoderma inoculation. The GanoEF treatment provided higher growth of seedlings and faster growth of bowl diameter when the seedlings were 9 months old. Three instances of GanoEF application had high potential to inhibit the development of Ganoderma on OP seedlings. Endophytic fungi Hendersonia sp. was capable of symbiosis with OP roots with a colonization rate reaching 70.6%. Disease incidence or percentage of plants infected with Ganoderma in GanoEF treatment reached 20.4% which was significantly (P

The coral health of Pulau Anak Datai (PAD), located off the northwest of Langkawi, Malaysia, was assessed using the Coral Health Index (CHI) method. Three ecological parameters, namely, benthic cover, fish biomass, and microbes (Vibrio) were determined at four sites around the island in 2019. In addition, community parameters such as coral mortality index, coral richness, relative abundance, diversity index, Evenness tests, and reef morphology were measured for each site. The results revealed that the benthic cover consists of less than 40% of scleractinian corals at all sites. A total of 25 genera of hard corals comprising of 11 families and 1 scleractinian Incertae sedis were observed, with the most dominant corals belong to the genera Porites, Favites, and Diploastrea. The average fish biomass of PAD was low (16.76 g/m

Sabrina AD, Ramadhandi AR, Nur AAI, Liza N, Sutarno, Yap CK, Indrawan M, Setyawan AD. 2022. Sustainability level of mangrove forest management based on RAP-MForest approach in Pancer Cengkrong, Trenggalek District, Indonesia. Intl J Bonorowo Wetlands 12: 82-88. Mangrove forest area is a coastal resource that benefits the community's welfare. Protection and preservation of the mangrove ecosystem need to be carried out by taking into account various aspects to achieve sustainability. This study aims to analyze the level of sustainability of mangrove forest management and the contributing factors in the Pancer Cengkrong Mangrove Forest area in Karanggandu Village, Trenggalek District, East Java, Indonesia. This research was conducted in June 2022 through field interviews and literature studies. Three dimensions (ecological, economic, and social) were selected, along with their attributes. Each attribute was scored to indicate the status of sustainability. Then, the data obtained were processed by Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) analysis using the Rapid Appraisal for Mangrove Forest (RAP-MForest) method. Furthermore, leverage analysis determines the sensitive attributes in each dimension. The results depicted that management in Pancer Cengkrong Mangrove Forest is less sustainable in the economic dimension and fairly sustainable in the two remaining dimensions. The social dimension achieved the highest sustainability index value at 72.92. Furthermore, knowledge of the sustainability index and sensitive factors can help provide recommendations for management in the Pancer Cengkrong mangrove area to achieve a sustainable level. In this case, the economic dimension should be more concerned with promoting environmentally sustainable development.

Monitoring the level of metal pollution in a water body, especially in polluted areas, is crucial. Gastropod shells have been used as a biomonitor for metal pollution. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utilisation of the mudflat snails, Telescopium telescopium shells, as biomonitoring materials for nickel (Ni) pollution in the intertidal area. The snails and their habitat surface sediments were sampled from 17 sites in Peninsular Malaysia. Up to 21 individuals from each site were sampled and dissected. In addition to the shells, six parts of the soft tissues (cephalic tentacle, foot, gill, muscle, mantle, and remaining soft tissues) were analysed for Ni. The snail shell was found to be a potential biomonitoring material for Ni pollution based on four positive points: (i) higher value of shell/soft tissue ratios (> 1.00); (ii) categorisation as a ‘microconcentrator’ based on bioaccumulation factor; (iii) significant correlation coefficients (at least P < 0.05) and significant influential total Ni levels in the sediments to the shell Ni; and (iv) higher precision of Ni in the shells based on the lowest value of the coefficient of variation of Ni. The described results indicated that the shell of T. telescopium would be suitable for assessing Ni pollution in the intertidal areas.

Kurniawati B, Sulistyaningrum N, Nugroho GD, Sunarto, Kusumaningrum L, Rahawarin YY, Flores AB, Yap CK, Setyawan AD. 2022. Mangrove conservation efforts with the ecotourism development in the Cengkrong Mangrove Ecotourism, Trenggalek District, East Java, Indonesia. Intl J Bonorowo Wetlands 12: 75-81. For mangrove conservation efforts, it is necessary to develop ecotourism so that people can also take advantage of the existence of mangrove forests. Analysis of the role mangrove ecosystem is carried out to develop a mangrove conservation strategy and the concept of sustainable development. This research examined conservation and ecotourism efforts by the community around the Cengkrong Mangrove Ecotourism and social perceptions of ecotourism based on mangrove development. The research was conducted in June 2022 at Mangrove Cengkrong Ecotourism, Karanggandu Village, Watulimo Sub-district, Trenggalek District, East Java, Indonesia, by conducting interviews with 50 respondents. Data was collected through field observations and interviews with ecotourism administrators and residents around the location. The results of this study indicate that the conservation efforts carried out are protecting, conserving, and utilizing mangroves by seeding, planting, managing, and monitoring mangroves. The POKMASWAS or the Community Monitoring Group manages the Cengkrong Mangrove Ecotourism area. However, the utilization of mangrove forest resources that have economic value by the community around the Cengkrong Mangrove Ecotourism area is still low because it is only limited to the cultivation of crabs, shells, making mangrove syrup, cakes and chips. In addition, the place is quite crowded with tourists. Indeed, area development still lacks preservation, utilization, and conservation for the management, surrounding communities, and tourists. Limited facilities and infrastructure are a challenge for the sustainable development of mangrove ecotourism. In addition, increasing community involvement and collaboration with institutions and the government in mangrove management must also be improved so that all the surrounding communities can also benefit. With the increasing economic benefits of mangrove ecotourism management, the community around the mangrove forest will participate in maintaining and preserving the mangrove forest ecosystem.

Nur AAI, Arifiani KN, Ramadhandi AR, Sabrina AD, Nugroho GD, Kusumaningrum L, Ramdhun D, Bao TQ, Yap CK, Budiharta S, Setyawan AD. 2022. Estimation of aboveground biomass and carbon stock in Damas Beach, Trenggalek District, East Java, Indonesia. Indo Pac J Ocean Life 6: 103-109. Vegetation plays a vital role in providing environmental services in the form of storing carbon which can mitigate climate change. This study aimed to calculate Aboveground Biomass (AGB) and carbon stock in Damas Beach, Trenggalek District, East Java Province, Indonesia using an allometric equation. Biomass and carbon data at a tree (dbh >20 cm) and pole (dbh 10-20 cm) levels were collected using sampling plots distributed randomly at three stations, namely mangrove vegetation (Station I), coconut plantation (Station II), and agroforestry (Station III). The results showed that across the three research stations, there were a total of 23 plant species classified as tree and pole levels. At tree level, Rhizophora stylosa Griffith had the highest carbon stock with a value of 85.48 MgC/ha, while the lowest value was Nypa fruticans Wurmb with 0.02 MgC/ha. Similarly, at the pole level, the species with the highest carbon stock was R. stylosa, with a value of 65.88 MgC/ha, and the lowest was Theobroma cacao L. with 0.11 MgC/ha. The mangrove vegetation (Station I) had the highest carbon stock value of 200.53 MgC/ha. In contrast, the coconut plantation vegetation (Station II) has the lowest total carbon stock, with a value of 84.68 MgC/ha. Conservation and management need to be improved in the Damas Beach area because if the area is disturbed, the ability of vegetation to absorb carbon will decrease.

Biomonitoring of heavy metals is an important part of the ecotoxicological study. However, without the application of the metal data to reflect human wellbeing, it is considered the low impact on the society. In this study, the heavy metals in green mustard Brassica rapa var. parachinensis were collected from Sikamat (Negeri Sembilan in 2013), Kg. Sitiawan (Perak in 2016), and Ara Kuda (Penang in 2016) of Peninsular Malaysia, were determined. The samples are analyzed for the concentrations of Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn by using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. For the leafy edible part, the metal concentrations (mg/kg dry weight) ranged from 16.1-18.5 for Cu, 145-207 for Fe, 1.02-1.64 for Ni, 0.90-2.73 for Pb, and 74.0-203 for Zn. These metal data were assessed for human health risks. It was found that all the values of target hazard quotients for Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn in both adults and children were less than 1.00. This exhibited there were no non-carcinogenic risks of the five metals through the intake of the Brassica from the present study. This could indicate that the accumulation of metals and pollution threshold is below the limit of causing hazardous effects to consumers. Nonetheless, regular assessment of health risks of heavy metals in this vegetable needs to be conducted from time to time these vegetables are prone to continuous heavy metal contamination.

The objective of this paper was to discuss the future potential of Hydropower Generation (HG) in Malaysia based on available publications published between 1970 and 2021 in the Scopus database (12 papers) and non-Scopus (3 papers). Out of the 15 papers reviewed, it was found that 73% of papers studied and discussed the economic aspect of the HG in Malaysia, while 27-47% studied and discussed the social and environmental aspects although some could merge with the economic factor. This paper indicated the economic aspect as primary importance in the hydropower studies and construction in their planning processes until full implementation of this Renewable Energy (RE) in Malaysia. This analysis shows that Large (> 10 MW) Hydropower System (HPS) papers only covered 31% of the 12 papers (discarding the 2 unspecified papers) reviewed in this study, while the rest (69%) covered mostly Micro (< 100 kW) HPS (46%), followed by Mini (< 1 MW), Small (< 10 MW), and Pico (< 5 kW) HPSs. It is almost certain, the Micro HPS or lower capacities of HPS hold the bright future in the reduced costs of energy consumption in Malaysia with special reference to economic factors that would boost the social development the betterment of well-being of the nation.

Intertidal gastropods, Faunus ater (F. ater), were collected from four sampling sites in Peninsular Malaysia. It was found that the concentrations of Zinc (Zn) (mg/kg dry weight) ranged from 347.23 to 356.21 for Digestive Caecum (DC), 95.00 to 100.91 for foot, 102.73 to 109.00 for muscle, 42.73 to 177.72 for operculum, 87.57 to 161.76 for remainder, and 24.42 to 53.96 for shell of F. ater. Current results indicate that the intertidal waters of Pantai Sri Tujoh has a higher bioavailability of Zn and require further research. According to the current findings, F. ater may be employed as a biomonitor of Zn pollution and bioavailability.

The current study assessed the ecological–health risks of potentially toxic arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) in the vegetable Centella asiatica, topsoils, and mangrove sediments sampled from Peninsular Malaysia. The As concentrations ranged from 0.21 to 4.33, 0.18 to 1.83, and 1.32 to 20.8 mg/kg dry weight, for the leaves, stems, and roots of the vegetable, respectively. The ranges of Sb concentrations were 0.31–0.62, 0.12–0.35, and 0.64–1.61 mg/kg dry weight, for leaves, stems, and roots of the vegetable, respectively. The children’s target hazard quotient (THQ) values indicated no non-carcinogenic risks of As and Sb in both leaves and stems, although children’s THQ values were higher than those in adults. The calculated values of estimated weekly intake were lower than established provisional tolerable weekly intake of As and Sb for both children and adult consumers. The carcinogenic risk (CR) values of As for children’s intake of leaves and stems of vegetables showed more public concern than those of adults. The levels of Sb and As in the topsoils were generally higher (although not significantly) than those in the mangrove sediments, resulting in a higher geoaccumulation index, contamination factor and ecological risk, hazard index, THQ, and CR values. This indicated that the anthropogenic sources of Sb and As originated from the land-based activities before reaching the mangrove near the coast. The CR of As signifies a dire need for comprehensive ecological–health risks exposure studies, as dietary intake involves more than just vegetable consumption. Therefore, risk management for As and Sb in Malaysia is highly recommended. The present findings of the ecological–health risks of As and Sb based on 2010–2012 samples can be used as an important baseline for future reference and comparison. Copyright © 2022 Yap, Tan, Cheng, Syazwan, Azrizal-Wahid, Krishnan, Go, Nulit, Ibrahim, Mustafa, Omar, Chew, Edward, Okamura, Al-Mutairi, Al-Shami, Sharifinia, Keshavarzifard, You, Bakhtiari, Bintal, Zakaly, Arai, Naji, Saleem, Abd Rahman, Ong, Subramaniam and Wong. Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, MOHE The present study was supported financially by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), (Vote No.: 5524953) and by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia.

This paper summarizes the use of museum of biological collection (MBC) in comparison of chemical contaminants between the past and the present specimens. It is inferred that MBC provides a unique and crucial insight into the spatio-temporal trend of environmental contamination by establishing a historical reference point.

There are many biomonitoring studies of nickel in the mollusks, but to understand how the nickel is accumulated in the human body and the health risk posed by the metal is not a straightforward formula. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to draw a conceptual model of nickel content in the bodies of invertebrate mollusks and their gastrointestinal absorption of nickel. This model is useful to understand how nickel accumulation in the tissues of the mollusks could affect the nickel oral ingestion pathways. This conceptual model can shed some light on the mechanisms of nickel that may cause various toxicological risks and target cancer slope formulation in the future.

The present field-based study aimed to determine the levels of six potentially toxic metals (PTM)s (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn determined using a flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometer) using transplanted green-lipped mussel Perna viridis from a polluted site at Kampung Pasir Puteh (KPP) to unpolluted sites at Kampung Sungai Melayu (KSM) and Sungai Belungkor (SB) in the Johore Straits (SOJ), and to estimate the human health risks of the PTMs after the depuration periods. Interestingly, after 10 weeks of depuration in the two unpolluted sites, there were 55.6–88.4% and 51.3–91.7% reductions of the six PTMs after transplantation from KPP to SB and KSM, respectively. Lower risks of health assessments were recorded and judged on the present findings of significantly (p < 0.05) lower levels of safety guidelines, significantly (p < 0.05) lower values of target hazard quotient, and significantly (p < 0.05) lower values of estimated weekly intake, of all the six PTMs after 10 weeks of depuration of the transplanted polluted mussels to the two unpolluted sites in the SOJ. Thus, further reducing the noncarcinogenic risks of the PTMs to the consumers. From an aquacultural point of view, this depuration technique can be recommended to reduce the health risks of PTMs to mussel consumers.

Along with the growing utilization of zinc (Zn) and Zn-containing nanoparticles in various industries, Zn ecotoxicological evaluation on human food supply is necessary even though Zn is generally considered safe and rarely concentrated ecotoxicologically. This study aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation of Zn in 18 species of vegetables (seven leafy, nine fruity vegetables and one species each of tuber and legume) collected from two farming sites in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A human health risk assessment (HHRA) was also conducted. In addition to HHRA based on the general population, HHRA based on each major ethnic group of the Malaysian society was also determined considering that the food consumption pattern would definitely be varied across ethnicities and age groups (children and adults). The study results showed that Zn concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in leafy vegetables than in other types of vegetables. However, the target hazard quotient (THQ) values were all found to be < 1.0. Therefore, based on the Malaysian ethnicities and age groups with their respective vegetable consumption patterns, the results indicated insignificant noncarcinogenic human health risk of Zn via oral consumption of vegetables by the Malaysian population. As a metric of measurement of HHRA, a comparison of THQ values could yield previously unreported insights into HHRA differences among the compared populations. A comparison of THQ values among the consumer groups indicated higher HHR for Chinese Malaysians and children due to their higher vegetable consumption and lower body weight, respectively. A comparison the Zn intakes of all the consumer groups with the recommended nutrient intakes indicated that the oral consumption of the vegetable species collected in this study would not result in Zn-related hazards and would not be able to fulfil the Zn dietary need of the individual consumer.

This paper aims to review the literature on ‘Effective Microorganism (EM)’ and ‘Fertilizer’ from the Scopus database and to discuss EMs using Halal-based sources for biofertilizer production from socio economic insights. Based on EM and fertilizer publications on the Scopus database, all the 17 papers reviewed provided no detailed information on the Halal-status of the biofertilizers inoculated with EM. The impacts of Halal-certified biofertilizers will trigger the Halal certification in food products by (a) catering for the increasing Halal food demand due to expectedly Muslim population expansion, (b) contributing to the sustainable buying behaviour of Halal products’ consumers in the future, (c) catering for the increasing number of Muslim travellers around the world, (d) becoming a positive driver for higher production of more Halal foods that can enhance food safety, human health and well-being, and (e) creating a cost-effective and increasing food marketability. The later three points (c, d and e) play a very important role in a country’s societal well-being and economic growth and development. Although Halal-status is not a must for the world’s food marketing, Halal-certified biofertilizer for the Halal-status of food carries the greatest potential to enter the ever-expanding Muslim markets. Finally, it is postulated that the successful usage of EM using Halal-based sources for biofertilizer production will result in two major outcomes from the points of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals # 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and # 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Hence, the presented review provides a starting point for future research considering sustainability and innovation as priorities.

The present study aimed to confirm the use of the byssus (BYS) of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis as a biomonitoring biopolymer for zinc (Zn) by comparing it to copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) pollution in coastal waters under experimental field conditions, based on the transplantation of caged mussels between polluted and unpolluted sites in the Straits of Johore (SOJ). Four important evidential points were found in the present study. First, the 34 field-collected populations with BYS/total soft tissue (TST) ratios > 1 indicated that the BYS was a more sensitive, concentrative, and accumulative biopolymer for the three metals than TST. Significant (p < 0.05) and positive correlations between BYS and TST in terms of the levels of the three metals were observed. Second, the data obtained in the present study were well-supported by the interspecific comparison, which indicated that the BYS of P. viridis was a significantly better biomonitoring biopolymer for the identification of coastal areas exposed to Zn, Cd, and Cu pollution and played the role of an excretion route of metal wastes. Third, the higher positive correlation coefficients for the metals between the BYS sedimentary geochemical fractions than the TST sedimentary geochemical fractions indicated that the BYS was more reflective of metal bioavailability and contamination in coastal waters. Fourth, and most importantly, the field-based cage transplantation study clearly indicated the accumulation and elimination of the three metals by the BYS in both polluted and unpolluted sites in the Straits of Johore. In sum, the BYS of P. viridis was confirmed as a better biopolymer than TST for Zn, as well as Cd and Cu, bioavailability and contamination in tropical coastal waters.

Water pollution due to plasticizers is one of the most severe environmental problems worldwide. Phthalate plasticizers can act as endocrine disruptors in vertebrates. In this study, we investigated whether the non-phthalate bis(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate (DEHS) plasticizer can act as an endocrine disruptor by evaluating changes in the expression levels of thyroid hormone-related, reproduction-related, and estrogen-responsive genes of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to the plasticizer. Following the exposure, the gene expression levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone subunit beta (tshβ), deiodinase 1 (dio1), and thyroid hormone receptor alpha (trα) did not change. Meanwhile, DEHS suppressed dio2 expression, did not induce swim bladder inflation, and eventually reduced the swimming performance of Japanese medaka. These findings indicate that DEHS can potentially disrupt the thyroid hormone-related gene expression and metabolism of these fish. However, exposure to DEHS did not induce changes in the gene expression levels of kisspeptin 1 (kiss1), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh), follicle-stimulating hormone beta (fshβ), luteinizing hormone beta (lhβ), choriogenin H (chgH), and vitellogenin (vtg) in a dose-dependent manner. This is the first report providing evidence that DEHS can disrupt thyroid hormone-related metabolism in fish.

Microbial ecotoxicology was initially proposed by [1], while the field of ecotoxicology was founded by René Truhaut [2]. The anthropogenic pollution caused by population growth is the main cause of environmental problem nowadays [3]. It answers to a growing demand in social-economy around the world as a result of the harm to the environment and human health posed by intensive anthropogenic activities [4]. Most of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) have made the underlying link between environmental health and human health and well-being a top focus [5]. When it comes to the abundance and distribution of living species, the ecosystem nutrient cycling has always been a basic ecological element with four primary components (nutrient pool, producers, consumers, and decomposers) under the energy flow (Figure 1). The ecological distribution and abundance of living organisms in the presence of a single chemical pollution or a combination of organic and inorganic pollutants (Figure 1) are well documented in the literature. From the molecular [6,7] to population levels [8-10], investigations on marine mussels are widely documented. However, in the presence of emerging novel viruses including bacteriophages, plant and animal viruses, the mechanisms of nutrient cycles are poorly known (Figure 1). It is believed that the components of decomposers consisting of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms, may have accelerated the decomposition processes, resulting in a higher rate of mortality among producers and consumers. The goal of the microbial Eco toxicological study is to perform both basic and applied research in order to develop tools that society may use to track the evolution of environmental quality, and rehabilitate damaged locations [11]. Microbial ecotoxicology, in addition to Eco toxicological investigations, can provide novel ecological indicators and insights into quantifying the influence of contaminants on 'ecosystem health' [12]. https://www.raftpubs.com/jvsr-veterinary-science-and-research/articles/jvsr_raft1017.php

In recent decades the development of desalination plants (DPs) for desalination of seawater has increased dramatically, while little attention has been paid to the effects of this activity on the accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in the sediments of affected ecosystems. The present study was implemented to evaluate (1) heavy metal accumulation in sediments impacted by DPs discharges, (2) spatial and temporal changes of HMs and the contamination degree by different types of pollution indexes (single and integrated indices), and (3) ecological risk assessment of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in sediments affected by DPs discharges. A total of 288 sediment samples were collected seasonally at 24 stations from November 2019 to October 2020. Analysis of HMs concentrations in sediments near the desalination plant discharge provided evidence of local contamination. Maximum concentration of Cu and Pb elements were found in sediments near the desalination plant discharge point. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed clear segregation of stations impacted by desalination plant discharges and away from discharges. The values of PLI index in sediments of all sampling stations were 1, indicating that there was no metal pollution by this index. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) ranged from 5.33 ± 0.51 to 11.81 ± 4.98 in sampling sediments and were classified as "low potential ecological risk". These results demonstrate that the DPs discharge increased HMs concentrations in the sediments in close proximity to outlets. The necessary and practical regulations and policies regarding the rejection of the DPs discharge and disposal of chemical compounds must be implemented and enforced.

Seahorse aquaculture can provide a platform to reduce pressure on its wild populations and to meet the demand for global trade. However, techniques for breeding seahorses are yet to established for every species and information is limited especially for species dwelling in Malaysian waters. Hippocampus trimaculatus is among the heavily exploited species and red listed as ‘Vulnerable’ under IUCN [1]. This study was conducted for one and a half years at the Fisheries Research Institute, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. The goal of this study was to develop a simple yet practical husbandry technique for H. trimaculatus. The study described protocols applied to the establishment of brooders, from the newborn to adulthood, and ultimately to the closure of the reproductive cycle. The seahorses were fed with a live diet ad libitum daily. Juveniles attained a total length of 50mm within a rearing period of 90 days. At 7 months old, the seahorses had reached their matured sizes of 111mm and 106mm for males and females respectively. After a year in captivity, we achieved the closure of the reproductive cycle for the captive-born H. trimaculatus. The results showed that the captive breeding of H. trimaculatus is feasible in Malaysia. These findings will be useful in promoting this species for commercial seahorse culturing and conservation purposes.

This study determined the levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn in the soft tissues and shells of barnacles (Balanus sp.) collected from the Kuala Juru, Sebatu, Sg. Ayam and Kg. Pasir Puteh, Peninsular Malaysia, obtained in 2008. The metal concentrations (μg/g dry weight) in the soft tissues of Balanus sp. received from four sites in Peninsular Malaysia ranged from 2.93-4.17 for Cd, 20.2-92.5 for Cu, 480-1193 for Fe, 6.40-18.0 for Ni, and 224-414 for Zn. Based on the present data, the trace metal bioavailability’s to the Balanus in all the populations, especially in a known polluted site at Kg. Pasir Puteh is low. Overall, this preliminary baseline data can be used for regular ecological monitoring for the effective management of the coastal area in Malaysia.

The concentrations of Fe and Ni were analyzed in the water spinach Ipomoea aquatica collected from 11 sampling sites (Ara Kuda (2016), Setiawan (2016), Sikamat (2013-2018) and 8 sites in Sepang area (2005-2006)) from Peninsular Malaysia. The range of Fe (mg/kg dw) in the plant samples was 155-775(15.5-77.5mg/kg ww) while the range of Ni(mg/kg dw) was 1.71-20.3(0.17-2.03 mg/kg ww). In assessing the human health risk, the target hazard quotient values for Fe and Ni in Malaysian adults are

Microplastics pollution has been receiving extensive attention globally with its presence felt in both remote and pristine coastal marine environments. Defined as plastics with diameters of 5mm or less and originating from primary and secondary sources, its impact is still not fully understood. Our investigation was conducted along two northern states in Peninsular Malaysia, i.e. Pulau Pinang and Kedah, to quantify microplastics occurrence in the surface waters. Seawater samples were collected from different sampling stations using a 355µm manta net. The plastics was removed from the water samples by density separation, treated with hydrogen peroxide and were identified using a stereo microscope. Microplastics occurred at all sampling stations with numbers varying from 8 to 73 particles/L. Samples were dominated by fragment and filament shapes. Sizes (2 to 3mm) and white colouration were found to be dominant. Future research is suggested to the identification of polymer type and a better understanding of its impact on marine communities.

This study aimed to evaluate the ecological-health risks of potentially toxic metals in the surface sediments on the Klang mangrove ecosystem and assessed the phytoremediation potential of Avicennia officinalis collected from the area. The results showed that the concentrations (mg/kg dry weight) of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the surface sediments ranged between 5.30–63.8, 14.2–32.7, 30.3–62.3, and 46.4–269, respectively. The ecological risk values of the surface sediments indicated that Ni, Pb and Zn were all classified as ‘low potential ecological risk’, while the Cu ecological risk ranged between ‘low potential ecological risk’ and ‘considerable potential ecological risk’. For the health risks on the sediments, all of the values of hazard index for Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, based on a combination of three pathways, indicated < 1.00, showing that the four metals are non-carcinogenic. Based on the bioconcentration factor values, it can be concluded that the lamina has better potential as a phytoremediator of essential Cu, Zn and Fe. In contrast, midrib plus petiole has better potential as a phytoremediator of non-essential Pb and Ni. To mitigate the threats to the Klang mangrove ecosystem, the information offered in the present study can be employed in the monitoring and provision of the ecological-health risks of potentially toxic metals in the Klang mangrove ecosystem. Hence, the present findings can be employed for developing a water-energy-food framework for managing the Klang mangrove ecosystem.

Pollution of water bodies with plasticizers is a serious environmental problem worldwide. In this study, we investigated the effects of plasticizers bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and bis-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). DEHP significantly increased the expression of all the genes tested: thyroid stimulating hormone beta subunit (tshβ-like), tshβ, deiodinase 1 (dio1), deiodinase 2 (dio2), and thyroid hormone receptor alpha (trα) and beta (trβ). However, DEHA only significantly increased tshβ at 7.4 µg/L but significantly decreased dio2 expression at 25.8, 111.1, and 412.6 4 µg/L, while other genes were not significantly affected. Both chemicals reduced eye size and total body length, but did not affect embryo development, hatching time and rate, and swimming performance. DEHA alone affected swim bladder inflation and not DEHP. This is the first report that not only DEHP but also DEHA disrupt thyroid hormone activity in fish. DEHP contamination (13.2 μg/L) was detected in tap water from Kobe, Japan; thus, tap water itself may disrupt thyroid hormone activity in Japanese medaka. Importantly, the effective concentration of DEHP for thyroid hormone-related gene expression and growth was close to or lower than DEHP concentrations reported in surface water elsewhere, indicating that DEHP contamination is a serious aquatic pollution.

Human health risk and phytoremediation of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in the edible vegetables have been widely discussed recently. This study aimed to determine the concentrations of four PTMs, namely Cd, Fe, Ni, and Zn) in

The objective of this study was to compare the cited data of Cd and Pb levels in the green-lipped mussels (Perna viridis) with established maximum limits of both metals by European Union (EU) legislation for animal feeds. It was found that most mussel populations from Malaysia (90% for Cd; 87.5% for Pb) and Hong Kong (96.2% for Cd; 100% for Pb) were found to have lower levels of Cd and Pb than the maximum limits for animal feeds by EU. Therefore, both toxic metals based on the feeds of mussel meats on the animals should not pose serious toxicological effects. However, the meat of P. viridis are potential animal feeds similarly to the fish meal. Considering the accumulation of metals in the long term, future biomonitoring of Cd and Pb should focus on animal feed materials on mussel-based origins. Keywords:Animal Feed; Mussels; Safety https://www.raftpubs.com/jvsr-veterinary-science-and-research/articles/jvsr_raft1016.php

The purpose of this paper is to discuss Cu and Zn concentrations in Perna viridis soft tissues from the western and eastern parts of Johore Singapore Causeway. The polluted eastern portion of the Causeway had greater levels of Cu and Zn in different areas of the soft tissues of mussels than the western part. This indicated the eastern section of the semi-enclosed Causeway had higher Cu and Zn bioavailability than the western part. With some reports of high metal levels in the eastern part of the Causeway from 2015 to 2018, it is predicted that there will be a plausible constant source of anthropogenic metal contamination in the eastern part of the Causeway beyond 2030 if anthropogenic activities are not effectively controlled.

The published article [...]

Pollution characteristics and associated ecological risks of PAHs in sediments from Brunei Bay, Brunei were investigated. The concentrations of ∑16 PAHs ranged from 826.7 to 2955.3 μg kg

Due to extremely high rates of evaporation and low precipitation in the Persian Gulf, discharges from desalination plants (DPs) can lead to ecological stresses by increasing water temperatures, salinities, and heavy metal concentrations, as well as decreasing dissolved oxygen levels. We discuss the potential ecological impacts of DPs on marine organisms and propose mitigating measures to reduce the problems induced by DPs discharges. The daily capacity of DPs in the Persian Gulf exceeds 11 million m3 per day, which is approximately half of global daily freshwater production; multistage flash distillation (MSF) is the dominant desalination process. Results from field and laboratory studies indicate that there are potentially serious and chronic threats to marine communities following exposure to DP discharges, especially within the zoobenthos, echinodermata, seagrasses, and coral reefs. DP discharges can lead to decreases in sensitive species, plankton abundance, hard substrate epifauna, and growth rates of seagrasses. However, the broad applicability of any one of these impacts is currently hard to scale because of the limited number of studies that have been conducted to assess the ecological impacts of DP discharge on Persian Gulf organisms. Even so, available data suggest that appropriately sited, designed, and operated DPs combined with current developments in impingement and entrainment reduction technology can mitigate many of the negative environmental impacts of DPs.

Haqal is a small city located in north-western part of Arabian Peninsula. The anthropogenic activities in this region are evident. This region is targeted for future development by Saudi government. In this study, the surface sediment of Haqal coastal waters were analysed for heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn). The total concentration (mg/kg dry weight) ranged from 0.012-0.186 for Cd, 0.582-1.13 for Cu, 0.51-2.18 for Ni, 0.68-2.64 for Pb, 1.97-4.52 for Zn while for Fe, it ranges from 0.155 to 0.254%. Based on ecological risk assessment results, the values of PERI were categorised as 'low ecological risk', thus all sampling sites were unpolluted with heavy metals. Despite that, this monitoring study had a positive result for non-heavy metal pollution, future mitigation of the heavy metal pollution in coastal areas of Tabuk should be given priority by the authorities. The present study can be considered as the first effort to monitor the pollution of heavy metals in Haqal. This provides baseline information for future ecotoxicological studies which can involve application of bioindicators to assess the quality of the marine environment in this region.

This is the first report on bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives (oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, hydroxyl, carbonyl and methyl-containing PAHs) in three edible marine fishes, namely Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Lethrinus microdon and Scomberomorus guttatus, from Kharg Island, Persian Gulf, Iran. The concentrations (ng g−1dw) of Σ39PAHs resulted significantly higher in fish liver than muscle, with the PAH composition pattern dominated by low molecular weight compounds (naphthalene, alkyl-naphthalenes and phenanthrene). The highest mean concentrations of ∑9 oxygenated and ∑15 hydroxylated PAHs (ng g−1dw) were found ound in L. microdon and L. argentimaculatus, respectively, while the lowest values in S. guttatus. Additionally, the highest mean concentrations of Σ5 carbonylic PAHs (ng g−1dw) were found in L. argentimaculatus, followed by L. microdon. The PAHs levels and distribution in fish liver and muscle were dependent on both the Kow of PAHs congeners and fish lipid contents. Overall, the present findings provide important baseline data for further research on the ecotoxicity of PAHs in aquatic organisms, and consequent implications for human health.

This paper reviews monitoring studies of chemical pollutant in the Straits of Johore, especially in Pasir Gudang area. The Kim Kim River chemical waste pollution occurred in March 2019 is reviewed for comparison with the previously reported scientific data. It is concluded that reporting monitoring data in the scientific literature is just a knowledge sharing without any practical implications. Only heavy pollution cases involving human health implications would trigger governing bodies immediate actions. Therefore, reports of scientific monitoring data should be treated with high importance and governing bodies should be working closely with those researchers for the benefits of public at large. It is recommended that ‘Polluters Pay Principle’ should be fully adopted in line with stricter laws and regulations with effective management of clean river sustainability in Malaysia.

The main purpose of the research was to analyze the distribution of Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Mangan (Mn), and Zinc (Zn) in soft tissues, shells, and associated surface sediments of Cerithidea obtusa (C. obtusa) mangrove snails collected from Sungai Besar Sepang. The concentration of iron (Fe) was found to be the highest in relation to other toxic elements in sediments, soft tissues, and shells of C. obtusa. The concentrations of Cu and Zn in soft tissues of C. obtusa were found to exceed the concentrations in sediments, indicating bioaccumulation of these metals. Metal pollution was assessed with the Enrichment Factor (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), and Pollution Factor (CF). EF, Igeo, and CF were 0.34 to 22.41, -3.37 to 2.65, and 0.14 to 9.42, respectively. The results indicate that sediments in Sungai Besar Sepang are contaminated with As and Zn. According to the bivalve bioaccumulation results, the soft tissues of C. obtusa act as a macro-concentrator for Cu and Zn. As a result, it is suggested that ongoing monitoring of releases of heavy metals from anthropogenic sources and stricter environmental protection measures should be implemented.