Academic literature on the topic 'Northern italian seawaters'

In 2009, the first Italian offshore LNG terminal, located approximately 12 km from the coast of Italy in the Northern Adriatic Sea, started its operation phase. Even if the active chlorine concentration in the discharged seawater is within limits set by Italian regulations (0.2 mg/L), to verify the environmental impact of disinfection by-products (DBPs) on the ecosystem, a specific monitoring program was scheduled from 2010 to 2015. The present study is the first displaying results of DBPs in marine waters of the Adriatic Sea. During the first two years of monitoring activities, DBPs were slightly above limit of quantifications (LOQs) in all investigated matrices and limited to the nearest area around the terminal. In these surveys, bromoform was the most frequently detected compound in seawaters, while haloacetic acid presence, as well as transplanted mussels and fish fauna, mostly characterized sediments. In the following surveys, levels were mostly negligible in all matrices investigated, with values mostly below the specific LOQs of the different compounds.

The state of the knowledge about the marine alien molluscan species from Italy is provided based on a critical review of records compiled from an extensive literature survey and from unpublished data obtained from 2005 to 2010. Based on the IUCN definition of ‘alien’, 35 molluscan taxa (18 Gastropoda, 16 Bivalvia and 1 Cephalopoda) are reported here, for each of which the following data (collected up to December 2010) are provided: published and unpublished records from the coastal and offshore territorial seawaters of Italy, including lagoons, within the 14 biogeographical sea divisions covering the Italian shores, date of first record, most plausible vector(s) of introduction and establishment status. The southern Ionian Sea, the northern Adriatic Sea and the eastern-central Tyrrhenian Sea resulted to be the areas most affected by alien molluscan introductions. The rate of records of new alien species (evaluated on the basis of live findings) is quite uniform over five decades, with six to eight species recorded per decade. The analysis of the vectors showed shipping/maritime transport to be the most common vector of introduction (40%), followed by trade (24%). Nineteen alien molluscan species (54%) were considered as established in Italy.

The Italian Northern Apennines contain several Fe-Cu-Zn-bearing, Cyprus-type volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits, which significantly contribute to the Cu resources of Italy. The massive sulfide lenses and related stockwork mineralizations are hosted by several levels (from basalt to serpentinite) of the unmetamorphosed ophiolitic series; therefore, this region offers perfect locations to study the ore-forming hydrothermal system in detail. A combination of fluid inclusion microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy, electron probe analyses (chlorite thermometry) and stable and noble gas isotope geochemistry was used to determine the fluid source of the VMS system at Bargone, Boccassuolo, Campegli, Casali–Monte Loreto, Corchia, Reppia and Vigonzano. This question of the fluid source is the focus of modern VMS research worldwide, as it has a direct influence on the metal content of the deposit. The obtained temperature and compositional data are both in the typical range of VMS systems and basically suggest evolved seawater origin for the mineralizing fluid. Modification of seawater was most commonly due to fluid–rock interaction processes, which happened during long-lasting circulation in the crust. The role of a small amount of magmatic fluid input was traced only at the lower block of Boccassuolo, which may be responsible for its higher ore grade. This fluid origin model is evidenced by O, H and C stable isotopic as well as He, Ne and Ar noble gas isotopic values.

The Adriatic Sea is vulnerable to pollution due to its low bathymetry, intense industrial activity, and tourism. In this context, a good depuration plant activity could play a key role for the maintenance of a good environmental quality. In the framework of the AdSWiM project, “Managed use of treated urban wastewater for the quality of the Adriatic Sea”, a study on dissolved potentially toxic element (PTE) levels was carried out to assess the impact of treated urban wastewaters on the quality of the bathing waters in the Adriatic Sea during the 2019 and 2020 summer period. In the present study, three areas along the Italian–Croatian coastline (Gulf of Trieste, Zadar, and Split) were identified for the monitoring of five depuration plant (DP) outflows. Water samples were collected after the treatment inside the DPs, and coastal seawater was sampled in the proximity of the discharging pipelines. Dissolved Hg, Cd, and As levels were determined with an atomic fluorescence spectrometer. Results did not show statistically significant differences between treated wastewater and seawater samples (Hg 10 ± 6 and 10 ± 4, Cd 14 ± 6 and 21 ± 8, As 610 ± 176 and 687 ± 140 ng L−1, respectively), while the geographical area and the seasonality affected the PTE concentration. Furthermore, the levels detected were lower than the European and national limits, indicating a good environmental status of the northern Adriatic Sea waters. The determination of further parameters (nutrients, microbiological indicators) must be investigated to identify possible synergistic effects. However, our results demonstrate the efficiency of DPs investigated, underlining the importance of the wastewater treatment for the protection of the Adriatic Sea.

Global change and the overall raise of seawater temperature are causing a poleward shift in species distribution, increasing the occurrence of warm-water biota in many ecosystems worldwide. In the Mediterranean, the ongoing sea warming is promoting native subtropical species to invader status. The bearded fireworm Hermodice carunculata (Amphinomida) is a thermophilic generalist predator spreading in the Central Mediterranean Sea. Although it is a typical inhabitant of Ionian coasts, several sightings have occurred at more northerly localities along the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas, suggesting that density increases and range expansion are underway. These distributional records are in contrast with historical literature and museum collections, which provide poor sporadic information.The present study aimed at investigating the spatiotemporal changes that have occurred in H. carunculata abundances and distribution in the Mediterranean basins surrounding the Italian peninsula so far. We examined an exhaustive collection of existing information. A total of 857 reports of H. carunculata were collected from 368 localities. These data significantly expand knowledge on the life and feeding habit of H. carunculata. The integration of different data sources allowed the reconstruction of the shifts that have happened over the last 50 years, which are coherent with the consistent warming trend of Mediterranean Sea surface temperatures. Recent colonization events have occurred both along the Adriatic and Western Mediterranean coasts. The present findings provide unique insights into the expansion of H. carunculata, supporting future spreading throughout the Northern and Western Mediterranean. Tracking these changes is critical to assess potential impacts on coastal rocky-benthic communities, public health and commercial fisheries.

L’insorgenza di epidemie legate all’ambiente marino sembra esser un fenomeno mondiale in aumento ed un numero crescente di infezioni batteriche umane è stato associato ad aree ricreazionali e legate all’uso commerciale di risorse marine. A causa dell’aumentata dipendenza umana dall’ambiente marino per la pesca, l’acquacoltura, dispositivi di scarico, la potenziale emergenza di patogeni dall’ambiente marino deve esser investigata. Una particolare sfida è costituita dalla potenziale espansione di patogeni marini esistenti nel mare e l’emergenza di nuovi patogeni derivati da ceppi marini autoctoni che hanno acquisito nuovi tratti virulenti via trasferimento genico orizzontale. Alcuni esempi sono l’aumentato consumo di prodotti marini, la comparsa edil diffondersi mondiale di nuovi ceppi di V.parahaemolyticus con potenziale pandemico, e negli ultimi anni alcuni casi di infezioni umane da ceppi di Vibrio species non patogeni. Lo scopo di questa tesi è stato di comparare ceppi di V.parahaemolyticus ambientali e clinici dal punto di vista genetico e di valutare il potenziale patogeno dei ceppi ambientali. I ceppi batterici, profondamente studiati nel corso della tesi di Dottorato, sono stati isolati dal Mar Nord Adriatico nel contesto del progetto internazionale “VibrioSea Project”, che aveva come obiettivo quello di sviluppare un sistema di allerta precoce per predire e prevenire le malattie a trasmissione idrica nel Mare Mediterraneo. La collezione di ceppi ambientali di V.parahaemolyticus è stata caratterizzata tramite una genotipizzazione molecolare per investigare se ceppi isolati nei differenti siti geografici o nei vari periodi dell’anno fossero correlati geneticamente e se fosse possibile identificare cloni persistenti nel tempo o in un sito geografico. Considerando globalmente i dati ottenuti con i 4 metodi di tipizzazione molecolari (ribotyping, PFGE, REP-PCR and ERIC-PCR), e sierotipizzazione, è stato possibile identificare alcuni clusters genetici persistenti in un’area anche per alcuni periodi lunghi. Al contrario non si è potuta stabilire la correlazione tra il tipo di campione o un sito geografico e specifici pattern genici. Il contemporaneo uso di differenti metodi di genotipizzazione si è rivelato essere un approccio efficace permettendo il raggruppamento in ceppi correlati geneticamente e, discriminando, sulla base di piccole differenze, batteri presentanti profili genici molto simili. Nella seconda parte dello studio è stato valutato il potenziale patogeno dei ceppi ambientali adottando un approccio genomico, sia utilizzando il metodo standard della PCR che un metodo computazionale innovativo, Insignia, che ha permesso il rilevamento di una serie di ceppi ambientali che presentano nel genoma un’siola di patogenicità, includendo diversi geni associati all virulenza. Successivamente l’analisi in vitro della capacità di alcuni ceppi ambientali rappresentativi di aderire e causare danno cellulare a cellule eucarioti ha confermato la patogenicità di ceppi marini. Sulla base dei dati ottenuti emerge che l’ambiente marino rappresenta un serbatoio di batteri portanti geni di virulenza costituendo così un problema di salute pubblica ed un rischio per la salute umana.
Disease outbreaks related to the marine environment appear to be escalating worldwide and growing number of human bacterial infections have been associated with recreational areas and commercial uses of marines resources. Because of the increasing human dependence on marine environments for fisheries, aquaculture, waste disposal and recreation, the potential for pathogen emergence from ocean ecosystems requires investigation. Particular challenge are the potential expansion of existing-marine indigenous pathogens and the emergence of new pathogens derived from autochthonous marine strains which have acquired new virulence traits via horizontal genetic transfer. The increasing consume of marine food products, the appearance and worldwide spread of new clones of Vibrio parahaemolyticus with pandemic potential and reporting, in very recent years, of some human infection cases caused by non pathogenic vibrios species, are some examples. The scope of this study has been to compare environmental and clinical Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains from the genetic point of view and to evaluate the pathogenic potential of the environmental strains. The bacterial strains deeply studied in this doctoral thesis were isolated from the Northern Adriatic Sea in the context of the international VibrioSea Project, aimed to develop a satellite-based early warning system to predict and prevent water-borne diseases in the Mediterranean Sea. The environmental V. parahaemolyticus strain collection was characterized performing a molecular genotyping to investigate whether the strains isolated in different geographical sites or in different periods of the year were clonally related and if it would be possible to identify clones persisting in time and/or different geographic sites. Considering globally the results obtained with 4 molecular typing methods (ribotyping, PFGE, REP-PCR and ERIC-PCR) and serotyping it has been possible to identify a number of bacterial genetic clusters persisting in the area also for long periods of time. On the contrary, a correlation between the type of sample or a geographic site and specific genetic patterns, has not been established. The contemporary use of different genotyping methods proved to be an effective approach allowing the grouping of genetically related strains also discriminating, on the basis of small differences, bacteria presenting very similar genetic profiles. In the second part of the study, the pathogenic potential of the environmental strains was evaluated adopting a genomic approach applying standard protocols, such as PCR, but also the innovative computational method Insignia which enabled the detection of a series of environmental strains carrying a pathogenicity island including several virulence-related genes. The subsequent in vitro analysis of the ability of representative environmental strains to adhere to and to cause cell damage in eukaryotic cells confirmed the pathogenic capability of the marine strains. On the basis of the data obtained it emerges that the marine environment represents a reservoir of bacteria carrying virulence genes thus constituting a public health concern and a risk to human health.