Search

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]

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]