Many Mediterranean olive groves are degraded and restoring soil functioning while maintaining ecosystem resilience is a major challenge. Nature-based solutions (NBS) have been proposed to enhance soil processes, yet it remains unclear whether functional recovery is accompanied by shifts in microbial community structure or can occur within a stable taxonomic framework. We evaluated differences in soil functioning and prokaryotic community composition associated with NBS management in Mediterranean olive groves using a paired design (NBS vs. conventional management, CON) and nearby forest soils as a reference system. Soil physico-chemical properties, enzyme activities, microbial processes, carbon-use profiles, and prokaryotic communities (16S rRNA gene sequencing) were assessed. Functional recovery was quantified relative to the forest–CON gradient. NBS management markedly enhanced soil functioning compared with CON, with β-glucosidase and dehydrogenase activities increasing by 3.4- and approximately 8-fold, respectively. On average, NBS systems recovered 40.1–45.2% of the functional difference between CON soils and forest reference conditions for key soil properties and microbial processes, while CLPP-derived carbon-substrate utilization exceeded forest reference levels (144%). Despite these pronounced functional differences, broad prokaryotic community composition differed little between management systems. PERMANOVA detected a significant association with soil type (p = 0.03), whereas the association with management was not significant (p = 0.39). Variation partitioning including management, soil type, SOM and pH explained only 7.77% of total community variation; pH and soil type showed small positive unique fractions, whereas no detectable independent management-associated fraction remained after accounting for the other predictors. Thus, long-term NBS management was strongly associated with enhanced soil biological functioning despite comparatively limited changes in broad prokaryotic community composition.
Despite the growing use of wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) for monitoring mpox outbreaks worldwide, a comprehensive understanding of the complete methodological workflow—from sampling and laboratory analysis to data interpretation—remains limited. This systematic review aimed to evaluate (i) the geographical distribution of mpox WBS studies, (ii) concordance with clinical surveillance and the potential of early-warning detection, (iii) methodological approaches, and (iv) the influence of sample type on detection sensitivity. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, original studies on WBS of monkeypox virus (MPXV) were identified through systematic searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus up to January 2026. Studies that did not report original WBS data were excluded. Where applicable, methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using predefined criteria. Due to substantial methodological heterogeneity among the included studies, findings were qualitatively synthesized using a thematic approach based on the review objectives. Thirty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Most were conducted in the United States, Canada, China and Switzerland, highlighting limited global coverage and a notable lack of studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Multiple studies detected MPXV in wastewater before or despite few, clinically confirmed cases, demonstrating the value of WBS for early outbreak detection and identifying otherwise undiagnosed community transmission. MPXV concentrations were consistently higher in wastewater solids than in liquid influent, with centrifuge pellets and primary sludge providing greater analytical sensitivity than supernatant samples. However, substantial variation in sampling strategies, concentration methods, nucleic acid extraction protocols, and molecular assays limited direct comparison across studies. Overall, current evidence supports WBS as a sensitive complementary tool for mpox surveillance. Harmonized methodologies, wider implementation in LMICs, and integration with conventional public health surveillance are needed to strengthen global outbreak preparedness and One Health surveillance.
Chlor-alkali plants have operated along the Mediterranean coastline since the 1940s, representing major point sources of mercury (Hg) to marine sediments. This study evaluates the regional-scale impact of the chlor-alkali plant at Rosignano (central Italy), advancing the “open-system paradigm” for legacy contaminants. Our multi-proxy investigation of 51 sediment cores, coupled with hydrodynamic observations and numerical simulations, reveals that circulation-driven transport facilitates the offshore dispersal of Hg-enriched particles, creating depocenters well beyond the original point source. Reworking processes maintain elevated Hg concentrations in surface sediments, sustaining potential exposure pathways for marine biota. Historical Hg inputs dominate present-day sediment contamination, with concentrations reaching up to 23× above background levels across 100 km2 of seafloor. While nearshore areas show natural attenuation via burial process of contaminated layers, offshore depocenters act as bioactive zones. Surface methylmercury data indicate ongoing biogeochemical reactivation of legacy Hg via a “benthic pump” mechanism in suboxic offshore environments. These findings point to the need for integrated global monitoring frameworks under the Minamata Convention on Mercury and complementary instruments such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) that account for far-field contaminant redistribution and the spatial decoupling of ecological risk in open coastal systems.
Understanding phytoaccumulation of environmental contaminants in agricultural crops is essential for assessing contaminant cycling, ecological restoration and risk, and exposure pathways. This study assessed the uptake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in Cannabis sativa (CBD-hemp) and Medicago sativa (alfalfa) across two greenhouse trials. Congener-resolved-PFAS analyses were performed on soil and plant tissues to characterize uptake patterns and examine how variability in soil quality aligns with PFAS accumulation. In alfalfa, short-chain PFAS predominated in shoots and long-chain PFAS molecules in roots, while total PFAS concentrations were similar across tissues. In hemp, inflorescences carried the highest PFAS concentration and stems the lowest. For both species, translocation factors (TF; shoot/root PFAS concentration) and bioconcentration factors (BCF; plant tissue/soil PFAS concentration) decreased with increasing PFAS chain length for both perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) and perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs). Relationships between % soil organic matter (SOM) and PFAS uptake were species- and compound-specific, whereas soil electrical conductivity (EC) exhibited more consistent associations with PFAS concentrations in soil and plant tissues. Higher PFAS concentrations in hemp roots and lower residual soil PFAS concentrations at harvest were associated with lower EC, resulting in higher BCF values for both species. These findings suggest that soil ionic conditions may influence PFAS mobility and bioavailability and highlight the value of incorporating soil EC measurements alongside PFAS concentrations when evaluating PFAS uptake in agricultural systems.
Despite broad recognition of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a major planetary health challenge, atmospheric antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remain an overlooked pathway for global dissemination. Unlike indoor air, which poses direct exposure risks to individuals, outdoor environments serve as planetary-scale reservoirs where particulate matter (PM), gaseous pollutants, heavy metals, and meteorological dynamics collectively influence the abundance and mobility of resistance determinants. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 2015 to 2025 to assess the spatiotemporal distribution, environmental drivers, and microbial associations of atmospheric ARGs in outdoor air. Absolute concentrations of atmospheric ARGs peak in winter, coinciding with elevated PM and heating emissions, whereas relative abundances increase in spring and summer, reflecting the selective persistence of resistant taxa under seasonal stressors. Urban regions exhibit the highest ARG levels, dominated by clinically relevant genes such as the tetracycline-resistance gene (tetA) and the sulfonamide-resistance gene (sul1), while rural and livestock settings are enriched with tetA and sul1 associated with agricultural practices. Network analyses indicate frequent co-occurrence between atmospheric ARGs/MGEs and bacterial taxa, including Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, suggesting that outdoor aerosols may provide ecological contexts for ARG persistence or potential gene exchange. As climate change, urbanization, and intensive agriculture alter air quality and atmospheric circulation, outdoor atmospheric ARGs may exacerbate inequities in the AMR burden, especially in low- and middle-income countries where monitoring remains limited. Recognizing outdoor air as a neglected domain in AMR control is therefore urgent, requiring integration of ARG surveillance into global air-quality and “One Health” frameworks.
