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Anthropogenic impacts on the Orbetello lagoon ecosystem
S Focardi1, M Mariottini, M Renzi
1Department of Chemical and Biosystems Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. focardis@unisi.it
Toxicology and Industrial Health
|August 5, 2009
Summary
This study assessed Orbetello lagoon
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Orbetello lagoon's environmental quality is crucial for its ecosystem.
- Biomonitoring provides insights into pollutant accumulation in sentinel organisms.
- Organochlorinated pollutants pose risks to aquatic environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the environmental quality of Orbetello lagoon.
- To identify sources and pathways of organochlorinated pollutants.
- To utilize biomonitoring and remote sensing for environmental assessment.
Main Methods:
- Biomonitoring using European eels (Anguilla anguilla) as sentinel organisms.
- Chemical analysis of organochlorinated pollutants (PCBs, pesticides) via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
- Remote sensing data analysis using Landsat 7 ETM imagery from 2002.
Main Results:
- Organochlorinated pollutants were detected in European eel muscle tissue across seven sites.
- Remote sensing and chemical analyses indicated the Albegna river as a potential source of pesticides.
- Hexachlorocyclohexanes were identified as specific pesticides of concern.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully assessed Orbetello lagoon's environmental quality using a combined approach.
- The Albegna river is implicated as a significant pathway for pesticide contamination.
- Findings highlight the need for monitoring and managing pollutant inputs into coastal lagoons.
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