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Preface - Nanotechnologies for Environmental Remediation: Applications and Implications
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The case of Artemia spp. in nanoecotoxicology
Full text linkArtemia spp. is one of the most widespread saltwater organism suitable for ecotoxicity testing, but no internationally standardised methods exist. Several endpoints can be considered with Artemia spp. including short-term (24-48 h) and long-term (14 days) mortality, cysts and nauplii hatchability, biomass productivity, biomarkers' expression/inhibition and bioaccumulation on larvae as well as organisms' reproductive ability. Recently, Artemia spp. started to be used as a reference biological model in nanoecotoxicology with both inorganic and organic engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) also in combination with traditional environmental stressors looking for potential interactive effects. Criticisms were detected about the use of Artemia spp. in relation to the hatching phase, the toxicity test design, the occasional use only of reference toxicants and the way testing solution/suspensions were prepared thus potentially compromising the reliability of nanoecotoxicological results. A full list of compulsory information that must accompany Artemia nanoecotoxicity data is provided with positive feedbacks also for other toxicity bioassays
Validation of ecotoxicological methods for wastewater monitoring to be discharged to marine-coastal and transitional environments - Advanced technologies for wastewater treatment (SBR and MBR) as case studies
No full textTransitional and marine coastal discharges are gaining more attention due to the increase of human pressures on coastal areas. The proposal for wastewater biomonitoring via brackish and salt water toxicity testing organisms on an end-of-pipe basis can provide information about wastewater treatment plants management, wastewater treatment technologies efficiency in toxicity reduction/removal and final discharge potential hazard. Activated sludge sequencing batch reactor, ultra-filtration membrane biological reactors, activated carbon and reverse osmosis were checked in small and medium sized configurations for their discharge quality. Domestic/hotel, mixed domestic, septic tank and industrial (glass factory), TNT, table olive brine and aircraft washing wastewaters were assessed before and after their relative treatment process via Artemia franciscana, Vibrio fischeri, Crassostrea gigas and Mytilus galloprovincialis toxicity tests. All the main physico-chemical parameters were also provided. The ultra-filtration membrane biological reactors showed to improve more efficiently the quality of the discharge from both the physico-chemical and the ecotoxicological point of view, suggesting more support by regulatory authorities on their implementation. Moreover, it was evidenced that A. franciscana is not suitable for wastewater toxicity testing, whereas all other bioassays are relatively sensitive and reliable
Management and Control of Wastewater: An Ecotoxicological Approach
Full text linkWastewater treatment represents a continuous challenge for engineers, environmental scientists and regulators. At the beginning it was the biological load to be reduced as much as possible to prevent infections and eutrophication phenomena. Afterwards, besides domestic discharges, industrial wastewater required specific technologies and treatment facilities to allow the removal of targeted pollutants. Today, an increasing number of new contaminants are rising up such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products and nanomaterials just to cite the most recent categories. The current goal in wastewater management is to move towards the (near-) zero approach or, ideally, the zero-discharge requiring to recover and reuse treated wastewater as much as possible. About that, ecotoxicological tools may offer a great support in the defining the rate of contamination removal during the treatment processes and allow further assessment about effluent second life. An overview of ecotoxicological approaches to assess wastewater environmental impacts to saltwater is presented and discussed considering toxicity tests as essential guidelines. © 2013 Nova Science Publishers, Inc
Validation of ecotoxicological methods for wastewater monitoring to be discharged to marine-coastal and transitional environments: advanced technologies for wastewater treatment (SBR and MBR) as case studies
No full textBiotechnologies Linked to Crustaceans
No full textDaphnia spp. are used as bioindicators for over a century and are recognized as models for ecological and environmental research. Interest in Daphnia models has increased in the past decade as the research community has sequenced the genome. As a result, these invertebrates are being evaluated as models for many areas of biology and medicine from embryonic development to aging processes. This chapter integrate information across levels of organization, from genetic sequence to ecological and environmental traits for Daphnia
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