0000000000435153
AUTHOR
Vittoria Giudice
Impact of Heavy Metals in Eggs and Tissues of C. caretta along the Sicilian Coast (Mediterranean Sea)
In this study we compared the heavy metal concentration found in different tissues and eggs of the loggerhead sea turtle and evaluated the potential ecotoxicological risk for this important species. Eighteen heavy metal elements were determined in different tissues (liver, gonads, fat, kidney, heart, brain, and spleen) of nine individuals of Caretta caretta found stranded along the coasts of Messina (Sicily, Italy) and in the shell and yolk of six eggs from the island of Linosa (Sicily, Italy). For the analysis of the heavy metals, we used the analytical procedures in accordance with the EPA 200.8 method supplemented by EPA 6020b with three replicates for each measurement. The elements anal…
Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Lung Function in Children with Asthma: A Mediation Analysis.
Studies investigating the association between urinary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and asthma in children provided inhomogeneous results. We aimed to use Mediation Analysis to discover whether a link between urinary PAHs and lung function exists and if it might be ascribed to a direct or a symptom-mediated (indirect) effect in children with asthma. This single-center prospective study was conducted in Palermo, Italy, between March and July 2017 and involved 50 children with persistent mild-moderate asthma, aged 6–11 years. At each time visit (day 0, 30, 60, and 90), physical examination, spirometry, and urine collection for detection of urinary cotinine and PAHs were performed. A…