0000000000108638
AUTHOR
Cecilia Doriana Tramati
showing 55 related works from this author
In vitro effect of cadmium and copper on separated blood leukocytes of Dicentrarchus labrax.
2013
The immunotoxic effects of heavy metals on blood leukocytes of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were examined. The cells, separated by a discontinuous Percoll-gradients, were exposed in vitro to various sublethal concentrations of cadmium and copper (10(-7) M, 10(-5) M, and 10(-3) M) and their immunotoxic effect was then evaluated by measuring neutral red uptake, MU assay, DNA fragmentation and Hsp70 gene expression. First of all, we demonstrated that the cells treated in vitro could incorporate Cd and Cu. A relationship between heavy metal exposure and dose-time-dependent alterations in responses of leukocytes from blood was found for both metals, but copper was more immunotoxic than cadmiu…
Trace elements and stable isotopes in penguin chicks and eggs: A baseline for monitoring the Ross Sea MPA and trophic transfer studies.
2021
Multi-tissue trace elements (TEs), C, N concentrations and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) of chick carcasses and eggs of Adelie and Emperor penguins were studied to i) provide reference data before the recent institution of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area (Antarctica), and ii) provide conversion factors that allow estimating C, N, δ13C and δ15N in edible tissues from non-edible ones, thus improving the use of stable isotopes in contamination and trophic transfer studies. Higher concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn and Pb were found in chick carcasses than in eggs, suggesting increasing contamination in recent decades and high toxicity risks for penguin consumers. Isotopic conversion fa…
Premature aging in bone of fish from a highly polluted marine area
2015
Fish species have attracted considerable interest in studies assessing biological responses to environmental contaminants. In this study, the attention has been focussed on fishbone of selected fish species from a highly polluted marine area, Augusta Bay (Italy, Central Mediterranean) to evaluate if toxicant elements had an effect on the mineralogical structure of bones, although macroscopic deformations were not evident. In particular, an attempt was made to evaluate if bone mineral features, such as crystallinity, mineral maturity and carbonate/phosphate mineral content, determined by XR-Diffraction and FT-IR Spectroscopy, suffered negative effects due to trace element levels in fishbone,…
Diet and habitat use influence Hg and Cd transfer to fish and consequent biomagnification in a highly contaminated area: Augusta Bay (Mediterranean S…
2016
Abstract Total mercury (T-Hg) and cadmium (Cd) were measured in twenty species of fish to study their bioaccumulation patterns and trophodynamics in the Augusta Bay food web. Adult and juvenile fish were caught in 2012 in Priolo Bay, south of the Augusta harbour (Central Mediterranean Sea), which is known for the high trace element and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination level. T-Hg concentration was found to significantly increase along δ15N and from pelagic to benthic sedentary fish, revealing a marked influence of trophic position and habitat use (sensu Harmelin 1987) on T-Hg accumulation within ichthyofauna. Cd showed the opposite pattern, in line with the higher trace element…
Evidences on alterations in skeleton composition and mineralization in a site-attached fish under naturally acidified conditions in a shallow CO2 vent
2021
Abstract Background Ocean acidification may affect fish mineralized structures (i.e. otoliths and skeleton). Methods Here, we compared the elemental composition of muscle and skeleton and the mineral features of skeleton in the site-attached fish Gobius bucchichi naturally exposed to high pCO2/low pH conditions in a shallow CO2 vent with fish of the same species exposed to normal pH. Results Overall, no skeleton malformations were found in both pH conditions, but among-site differences were found in the elemental composition. Interestingly, higher Ca/P values, inducing a moderate skeleton maturation, were found in fish exposed to acidified conditions than in controls. Conclusion Our finding…
Horizontal and vertical food web structure drives trace element trophic transfer in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica
2019
Abstract Despite a vast amount of literature has focused on trace element (TE) contamination in Antarctica during the last decades, the assessment of the main pathways driving TE transfer to the biota is still an overlooked issue. This limits the ability to predict how variations in sea-ice dynamics and productivity due to climate change will affect TE allocation in the food web. Here, food web structure of Tethys Bay (Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, Antarctica) was first characterised by analysing carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) in organic matter sources (sediment and planktonic, benthic and sympagic primary producers) and consumers (zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, fish and …
Digestive Enzymes in Larvae and Juveniles of Farmed Sharpsnout Seabream (Diplodus puntazzo) (Cetti, 1777)
2011
The ontogenetic development and pattern of main digestive enzyme activities (proteases, carbohydrases and lipases) were investigated in farmed sharpsnout seabream Diplodus puntazzo larvae and juveniles, during the passage from the larval stage to adult (from 21 to 277 days after hatching - DAH). Larvae showed exponential growth, thus confirming that Rotifers and Artemia nauplii are suitable preys for early feeding of D. puntazzo larvae. Pepsin activity was low in the larvae, but it increased afterwards in relation with stomach development. In juveniles, levels of specific activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase were lower compared to that recorded in larvae. A decrease in the activit…
Contamination by trace metals and their trophic transfer to the biota in a Mediterranean coastal system affected by gull guano
2013
Transitional environments are vulnerable interface systems, ecologically connected with adjacent systems by several biotic or abiotic flows. The coastal system of the Marinello ponds (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) is affected by a colony of yellow-legged gulls Larus michahellis (Naumann, 1840), resident on the cliff beside the ponds. To investigate the role of the gull colony as a potential source of allochthonous non-essential trace metals (As, Cd, Pb and total mercury, THg) and the consequent metal trophic transfer to the biota in the ponds, we collected guano, surface sediment and biota from 3 ponds with different levels of avian input. The highest concentrations were observed in guano and surf…
Trophic Transfer of Trace Elements in an Isotopically Constructed Food Chain From a Semi-enclosed Marine Coastal Area (Stagnone di Marsala, Sicily, M…
2012
Trace element accumulation is particularly important in coastal and transitional environments, which act as contaminant buffers between the continental and marine systems. We compared trace element transfer to the biota in two locations with different open-sea exposures in a semi-enclosed marine coastal area (Stagnone di Marsala, Sicily, Italy) using isotopically reconstructed food chains. Samples of sediment, macroalgae, seagrasses, invertebrates, fish, and bird feathers were sampled in July 2006 and analysed for stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ(13)C, δ(15)N) and trace elements (arsenic [As], cadmium [Cd], total mercury [THg], and lead [Pb]). Trophic magnification factors were calcul…
Highly contaminated areas as sources of pollution for adjoining ecosystems: The case of Augusta Bay (Central Mediterranean).
2014
An assessment of trace element and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination based on surface sediments collected in summer 2012 was carried out in Priolo Bay adjoining one of the most polluted areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the industrial Augusta harbour (Italy, Central Mediterranean). Inorganic and organic contaminants were generally not remarkable. Occasional elevated concentrations of Hg, Cd, Ni and PAHs exceeding sediment quality guidelines were detected in the northern sector of Priolo Bay, close to Augusta harbour, possibly as a result of water drainage of industrialised and urbanised areas and/or potential direct export of contaminated material from Augusta harbour, whose…
Trace element storage capacity of sediments in deadPosidonia oceanicamat from a chronically contaminated marine ecosystem
2016
Posidonia oceanica mat is considered a long-term bioindicator of contamination. Storage and sequestration of trace elements and organic carbon (Corg) were assessed in dead P. oceanica mat and bare sediments from a highly polluted coastal marine area (Augusta Bay, central Mediterranean). Sediment elemental composition and sources of organic matter have been altered since the 1950s. Dead P. oceanica mat displayed a greater ability to bury and store trace elements and Corg than nearby bare sediments, acting as a long-term contaminant sink over the past 120?yr. Trace elements, probably associated with the mineral fraction, were stabilized and trapped despite die-off of the overlying P. oceanica…
Lipid and fatty acid biomarkers as proxies for environmental contamination in caged mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis
2015
Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were transplanted from a reference site (Syracuse harbour) to an impacted site (Augusta Bay) from January to July 2013 to assess the biochemical response of caged mus- sels to high trace element and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination, using lipid and fatty acid (FA) biomarkers. Sediment and mussels were analysed to assess contaminant bioavailability in the study sites and bioaccumulation in mussel tissue. Trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) and PAHs were significantly higher in mussels from Augusta than in those from Syracuse, mirror- ing the different environmental contamination. The biological impact quotient (BIQs…
Gull-derived trace elements trigger small-scale contamination in a remote Mediterranean nature reserve
2013
The role of a yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) small colony in conveying trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, THg, V, Zn) was assessed in a Mediterranean nature reserve (Marinello ponds) at various spatial and temporal scales. Trace element concentrations in guano were high and seasonally variable. In contrast, contamination in the ponds was not influenced by season but showed strong spatial variability among ponds, according to the different guano input. Biogenic enrichment factor B confirmed the role of gulls in the release of trace elements through guano subsidies. In addition, comparing trace element pond concentrations to the US NOAA’s SQGs, As, Cu and Ni showed contamination …
Comparison of stable isotope composition and inorganic and organic contaminant levels in wild and farmed bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, in the Medite…
2009
Abstract Stable isotope composition (δ13C and δ15N) and persistent pollutants, including heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, As, Cu, Zn) and organochlorine compounds (PCBs, HCB and p,p′-DDE), were measured in muscle and liver tissues of wild and farmed bluefin tunas to investigate the changes occurring during the farming period and to assess the quality, in terms of contaminants, of the final product. At the end of farming, the food supplied was clearly integrated into the tuna tissues as derived from stable isotope signatures, and, contrarily to the literature findings obtained for other species, farmed tunas showed slight variations in persistent elements and chemical compounds in comparison with w…
Trace element bias in the use of CO2 vents as analogues for low pH environments: Implications for contamination levels in acidified oceans
2013
Abstract Research into the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems has increasingly focused on natural CO 2 vents, although their intrinsic environmental complexity means observations from these areas may not relate exclusively to pH gradients. In order to assess trace element levels and distribution in the Levante Bay (Vulcano Island, NE Sicily, Italy) and its suitability for studying biological effects of pH decline, Ba, Fe and trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) in sediment were analysed from 7 transects. Where present, Cymodocea nodosa leaves and epiphytes were also analysed. At the spatial scale of the bay, trace element concentrations in sedim…
Mount Etna volcano (Italy) as a major “dust” point source in the Mediterranean area
2016
Volcanic emissions represent one of the most relevant natural sources of trace elements to the troposphere. Due to their potential toxicity, they may have important environmental impacts from local to global scale. They can also severely affect the atmospheric and terrestrial environment at timescales ranging from a few to millions of years. Mt. Etna volcano is known as one of the largest global contributors of magmatic gases (CO2, SO2 and halogens) and particulate matter, including some toxic trace elements. The aim of this study is to characterize the chemical composition and the mineralogical features of the volcanogenic aerosol passively emitted from Mt. Etna. Twenty-five samples were c…
Evidence for trophic structure variability in Mediterranean coastal lagoons.
2005
Preliminary results on the distribution of benthic foraminifera in the lagoon like coastal basin Stagnone di Marsala (Trapani, Italy)
2010
Effetti di input ornitogenici sullo stato trofico di un sistema costiero Mediterraneo (laghetti di Marinello, Sicilia, Italia)
2011
Analysis of the trophic role of primary producers in Posidonia oceanica ecosystems along the Sicilian coasts (Italy)
2006
Valutazione degli effetti ambientali della maricoltura basata sull’analisi degli isotopi stabili di azoto
2005
Trace elements and PAHs in surface sediments and biota from a contamination hot spot (Augusta Bay, Italy): potential export to the adjoining coastal …
2013
Valutazione dei livelli di esposizione a contaminanti di origine antropica mediante l’uso di biomarkers negli esemplari di Thunnus thynnus allevati e…
2004
Variazioni spaziali delle concentrazioni di metalli pesanti nei sedimenti di un’area portuale della Sicilia orientale
2007
Comparative analyses of chemical, trophic and microbiological variables in sediments from an Eastern Sicilian port: differences in spatial accumulati…
2007
Contaminazione da metalli in tracce in un sistema costiero Mediterraneo (laghetti di Marinello, Sicilia, Italia) e loro trasferimento lungo la rete t…
2011
Trace element storage capacity of sediments in dead P. oceanica mat from a chronically contaminated marine ecosystem
2017
Posidonia oceanica mat is considered a long-term bioindicator of contamination. Storage and sequestration of trace elements and organic carbon (Corg) were assessed in dead P. oceanica mat and bare sediments from a highly polluted coastal marine area (Augusta Bay, central Mediterranean). Sediment elemental composition and sources of organic matter have been altered since the 1950s. Dead P. oceanica mat displayed a greater ability to bury and store trace elements and Corg than nearby bare sediments, acting as a long-term contaminant sink over the past 120 yr. Trace elements, probably associated with the mineral fraction, were stabilized and trapped despite die-off of the overlying P. oceanica…
A study of the pattern of digestive enzimes in Diplodus puntazzo (Cetti, 1777) (Osteychthyes, Sparidae): evidence for the definition of nutritional p…
2005
The digestive enzymes (proteases, carbohydrases and lipases) present along the alimentary tract of juveniles and adults of Diplodus puntazzo were studied. The data obtained showed a different distribution of the enzymatic activities in the different parts of the alimentary tract. Levels of enzymatic activity in the adults were higher than those measured in juveniles, suggesting that adults have a greater ability to digest larger pieces of food. The enzymatic pattern of D. puntazzo justifies its omnivorous habit and suggests an high potential for digesting vegetable polysaccharides. The results of this study suggest the need to adapt the diet to the digestive potential of this new farming sp…
Environmental quality and sustainable resource exploitation in marine coastal ecosystems: the case study of tuna farming.
2009
The role of seagrasses as biological barriers against riverine anthropic input in coastal marine ecosystems
2009
Seagrasses as biological barriers against anthropic input in coastal marine ecosystems
2009
Studio degli isotopi stabili di carbonio ed azoto e dei metalli pesanti in diverse specie di Mugilidi provenienti da aree lagunari mediterranee
2006
Influence of seabird guano on the contamination level of a Sicilian coastal area (Marinello ponds).
2010
Valutazione del bioaccumulo di metalli pesanti nel polichete Sabella spallanzani (Gmelin 1791) (Sabellidae) in tre aree portuali della Sicilia
2010
Study of benthic foraminifera in the Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Gela (Sicilian Channel) and their possible use as bioindicators
2009
The effect of seagrass loss on macrozoobenthos community in a Mediterranean semi-enclosed coastal system
2009
Approccio isotopico per lo studio dell’impatto di attività di acquacoltura in ambiente marino costiero
2006
Valutazione dei livelli di alcuni metalli pesanti in una catena del detrito ricostruita attraverso l’analisi degli isotopi stabili di carbonio ed azo…
2008
Trace metal contamination in a Mediterranean coastal pond (Acquatina, Apulia, Italy).
2010
The origin and fate of organic matter as a tool to assess anthropogenic disturbance in coastal environments
2005
Indagine sul contributo delle fonti bentoniche e planctoniche alla rete trofica del reef a vermeti
2009
Studio dell’impatto di un’attività di maricoltura attraverso l’analisi della Materia Organica Sedimentaria
2005
Trace metal transfer in the food webs of a semi-enclosed coastal ecosystem (Stagnone di Marsala, Sicily, Italy)
2010
Effetti modulanti del cadmio e del rame sulle attività cellulari del teleosteo Dicentrarchus labrax
2007
Influence of seabird guano on the trophic status and contamination levels of a Sicilian transitional area
2009
Effects of aquaculture activities on seagrass ecosystems: evidence from stable isotopes
2006
Trace element and PAH bioaccumulation in caged mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from an industrial area (Augusta Bay, SE Sicily)
2014
Evidence for trophic structure varibility in Mediterranean coastal lagoons
2005
THE EFFECT OF HEAVY METALS ON BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA IN THE GULF OF GELA (SICILIAN CHANNEL)
2011
Benthic foraminifera are very sensitive to oceanographic parameter variations, to which they rapidly response through changes in the abundance and/or richness of their associations and in morphological variations of their shell. Many studies have used benthic foraminifera as bioindicators. We investigated recent benthic foraminiferal assemblages in the Gulf of Gela (Sicilian Channel, Mediterranean Sea), examining their relative abundance, specific richness and morphological abnormalities, to highlight a possible correlation with oceanographic features and the concentration of heavy metals in sediments. Sediment was sampled in summer 2006 using box corers in four stations at increasing dista…