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This study investigated the concentrations and profiles of 19 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the muscle and liver of four freshwater species from Lake Trasimeno (Italy): Anguilla anguilla (European eel), Carassius auratus (goldfish), Perca fluviatilis (European perch), and Procambarus clarkii (red swamp crayfish). In livers, the amount of PFASs ranged from 3.1 to 10 µg kg−1, significantly higher than that in muscle (0.032–1.7 µg kg−1). The predominant PFASs were perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and long-chain carboxylic acids (C8–C14). Short-chain compounds (C4–C5), as well as the long-chain sulfonic acids (C9–C12), were not quantified. The contamination patterns were similar among species with few differences, suggesting the influence of species-specific accumulation. The PFAS concentrations in livers were comparable among species, while in muscle, the higher values were measured in European eel, followed by goldfish, European perch, and red swamp crayfish. The levels were generally lower than those reported for fish from Northern Italian lakes and rivers. The concentrations of regulated PFASs were lower than the maximum limits set by Regulation EU 2023/915 and did not exceed the Environmental Quality Standards (PFOS in biota). This study provides the first valuable insights on PFASs in freshwater species from Lake Trasimeno.

Fish are good bio-indicators of the health status of the aquatic environment and can be used as biomarkers to assess the aquatic behavior of environmental pollutants, the exposure of aquatic organisms, and the health risk for consumers. Goldfish are a significant bioindicator in the Lake Trasimeno aquatic system (Umbria, Italy). This study aimed to characterize the health status and the chemical and biotic contamination of Lake Trasimeno to define its anthropogenic and natural pressures and the risk associated with consuming its fishery products. 114 determinations were performed on Carassius auratus samples from 2018 to 2020, and the occurrence of brominated flame retardants, non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, heavy metals, and microplastics was analytically investigated. Dietary exposure assessment, risk characterization, and benefit-risk evaluation were performed for schoolchildren from 3 to 10 years old. Flame-retardants registered high levels of non-detects (99% for polybrominated diphenyl ether and 76% for hexabromocyclododecanes), while polychlorinated biphenyls were found in all samples with a maximum level of 56.3 ng/g. Traces of at least one heavy metal were found in all samples, though always below the regulatory limit. Microplastics were found with a 75% frequency of fish ingesting at least one particle. Dietary exposure and risk characterization reveal negligible contributions to the reference values of all contaminants, except for mercury, which reached up to 25% of admissible daily intake. The benefit-risk assessment highlighted that the benefits of freshwater fish intake outweigh the associated risks. The examination of goldfish as indicator fish reveals the quality of Lake Trasimeno's aquatic environment and the safety of its products.

Tetrodotoxins (TTXs), the pufferfish venom traditionally associated with Indo-Pacific area, has been reported during last decades in ever wider range of marine organisms and ever more geographical areas, including shellfish in Europe. Wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) grown in the Marche Region (N Adriatic Sea, Italy) were shown to be prone to TTX contamination during the warm season, with a suspected role of Vibrio alginolyticus characterized by non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS)-encoding genes. This work aimed to deepen the knowledge about the toxin’s origin and the way through which it accumulates in mussels. A two-year study (spring–summer 2020–2021) confirmed the recurrent presence of TTX (11–68 µg kg−1) in the official monitored natural mussel beds of the Conero Riviera. During 2021, a supplementary nonroutine monitoring of a natural mussel bed in the same area was carried out weekly from June until August for TTXs and/or the presence of V. alginolyticus. Biotic (mussels, mesozooplankton, worms and phytoplankton); abiotic (water and sediment) matrices and phytoplankton assemblage characterizations were studied. Mussels showed relevant TTX contamination levels (9–296 µg kg−1) with extremely rapid TTX accumulation/depletion rates. The toxin presence in phytoplankton and its distribution in the different mussel tissues supports its possible exogenous origin. The V. alginolyticus count trend overlaps that of TTX contamination in mussels, and similar trends were reported also for some phytoplankton species. The role of V. alginolyticus carrying NRPS or PKS genes as a possible TTX source and of phytoplankton as a “potential vector” should therefore be further investigated.

The international seafood trade is based on food safety, quality, sustainability, and traceability. Mussels are bio-accumulative sessile organisms that need regular control to guarantee their safe consumption. However, no well-established and validated methods exist to trace mussel origin, even if several attempts have been made over the years. Recently, an inorganic multi-elemental fingerprint coupled to multivariate statistics has increasingly been applied in food quality control. The mussel shell can be an excellent reservoir of foreign inorganic chemical species, allowing recording long-term environmental changes. The present work investigates the multi-elemental composition of mussel shells, including Al, Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn, Cd, Co, U, Ba, Ni, Pb, Mg, Sr, and Ca, determined by inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry in Mytilus galloprovincialis collected along the Central Adriatic Coast (Marche Region, Italy) at 25 different sampling sites (18 farms and 7 natural banks) located in seven areas. The experimental data, coupled with chemometric approaches (principal components analysis and linear discriminant analysis), were used to create a statistical model able to discriminate samples as a function of their production site. The LDA model is suitable for achieving a correct assignment of >90% of individuals sampled to their respective harvesting locations and for being applied to counteract fraud.

The Boi Cerbus lagoon, facing a mining and industrial site in Sardinia (Italy), is an important fishing area for the local population. Previous studies showed high concentrations of total arsenic (Astot) in fish, molluscs and crustaceans sampled in the lagoon, and a possible exceeding of the provisional tolerable weekly intake set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives by some local consumer groups. However, the percentage of inorganic As (Asinorg) should be known for a correct assessment of potential risk, as its toxicity is much higher than that of the organic forms. Eighty samples of 14 different species of fish, molluscs and crustaceans, sampled in the Boi Cerbus lagoon in 3 different seasons (winter, spring and summer), were analysed for Astot by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Asinorg by high performance liquid chromatography-ICP-MS. All the data obtained from the analysis were statistically processed to evaluate significant differences based on season, taxon and habitat, in preparation for a subsequent risk assessment.