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Uporaba visokozmogljivega sekvenciranja za zaznavanje virusnih zaporedij v kompleksnih vzorcih iz okolja in industrije
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Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine
Get PDFDesalination is becoming increasingly important to meet the growing demand for freshwater. However, a major drawback of this technology is the production of hypersaline brine. This by-product contains salts and contaminants that have been removed during the desalination process, including antiscalants, cleaning agents, heavy metals, and organic compounds. Instead of disposing of this brine and causing environmental harm, new strategies should be developed to transform brine from a burden into an opportunity with environmental and economic benefits. Brine can harbor halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, making it a valuable resource for studying microbial diversity, adaptations and exploring untapped biotechnological opportunities in pharmaceutical, industrial, and ecological fields. We propose two strategies of innovation: (i) using brine to cultivate micro- and macro-organisms, both of which can create circular economy models tailored to global and local needs. (ii) In addition, the amount of brine generated by desalination plants can be reduced by integrating or coupling them with biodesalination modules. These modules would harness halotolerant and halophilic organisms to retain and assimilate salts, reducing the environmental impact of desalination
Establishment and phenotypic characterization of genetically diverse core collections of Lupinus albus
Get PDFRecruitment and controlled growth of juveniles of the critically endangered fan mussel Pinna nobilis in the Northern Adriatic
Get PDFThe fan mussel Pinna nobilis is the largest bivalve species in the Mediterranean Sea and provides numerous ecosystem services. It is classified as critically endangered by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) due to severe mass mortality events throughout the Mediterranean. The aims of this work are as follows: (i) to assess the current recruitment potential of the species, (ii) to enhance recruitment by keeping juveniles in controlled conditions before releasing them back into the sea, and (iii) to assess the health status of recruits. In the period 2022–2023, larval collectors were set up in the Gulf of Trieste as part of the LIFE Pinna project. The collected individuals were kept in aquaria in two different facilities under different conditions: (a) a closed system with constant water temperature, live phytoplankton, and commercial food and (b) an open system with ambient seawater temperature and commercial food. A clear temporal and spatial variability in recruitment was observed: 13 recruits were found in 2022 and 50 recruits in 2023. The live specimens were between 0.5 and 8 cm in size upon collection and larger in 2023. The growth and survival rate did not differ significantly between the two systems, but the average monthly growth and survival rate were related to the initial size of the juveniles