The mobility of arsenic (As) in groundwater is governed by dynamic interactions at the sediment-water interface, where both mineral reactivity and aqueous chemistry play key roles. In the Como aquifer (Northern Italy), As distribution is vertically heterogeneous: shallow horizons remain below the WHO limit of 10 mu g/L, whereas deeper zones reach concentrations up to 250 mu g/L. Although this variability is well documented, the underlying mechanisms remain only partially understood. To address this gap, we performed batch experiments on shallow and deep aquifer sediments with contrasting composition, systematically varying pH, electrical conductivity, and dissolved organic carbon in a full-factorial design of experiment. Results revealed nonlinear adsorption responses and sediment-specific behaviours. Shallow sediments exhibited stronger and more stable As retention, associated with higher contents of Fe-, Al-, and Mn-(hydr)oxides and greater cation exchange capacity. In contrast, deepaquifer sediments showed weaker and more variable adsorption, especially under acidic, DOC-enriched, and high-conductivity conditions. Response surface models confirmed that sediment composition governs As retention capacity, while water chemistry modulates its efficiency. This integrative approach links laboratory adsorption patterns with field-scale As distribution, providing a mechanistic explanation for the observed vertical heterogeneity in the Como aquifer and supporting predictive assessment of groundwater vulnerability.

The Canyon of Caprera (Mediterranean Sea) hosts high biodiversity, including threatened filter-feeding vertebrates such as the basking shark and fin whale. Due to their elusive nature, mobility and conservation status, direct contaminant assessment in these species is often challenging. To address this limitation, the present study focuses on zooplankton, an essential prey and bioindicator, to indirectly assess the levels of persistent organic pollutants and trace elements (TEs) in their feeding grounds. This approach provides a noninvasive method to estimate potential pollutant exposure in vulnerable megafauna and to evaluate the associated risks of pollutant transfer through the food web. Zooplankton samples accumulated mean PCB and DDT levels of 31.3 ± 17.5 ng g−1 and 19.8 ± 15.3 ng g−1 dry weight (dw), respectively. Regarding TEs, zooplankton exhibited high levels of essential TEs (e.g., Fe 778 ± 640 mg kg−1 dw), while nonessential TEs were found in lower concentrations (e.g., Hg 0.1 ± 0.1 mg kg−1 dw). Potential daily pollutant intake by the filter-feeding species was estimated using published zooplankton consumption rates, highlighting a significant pathway for contaminant transfer. Zooplankton contaminant levels exceeded the Environmental Quality Standard for Hg and the Maximum Allowable Limits established for foodstuff for Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, suggesting potential risk for the aquatic environment, with implications for zooplankton feeders. These results demonstrate the utility of zooplankton as a noninvasive proxy for contaminant exposure in threatened marine megafauna and highlight the importance of monitoring pollution in key Mediterranean habitats.

The Adriatic Sea is an enclosed basin threatened by marine pollution due to its hydrographic features and anthropogenic pressure. Although zooplankton has been worldwide regarded as an immediate warning signal of contamination, limited information is available on the contamination of these organisms at the Adriatic level. Hence, this study provides comprehensive data on the presence and levels of multiple pollutants in zooplankton collected from 46 locations. With regards to legacy contaminants, both PCB and DDT levels have declined since the 1980s. Specifically, most samples were characterized by low DDT contamination (average of 3 ± 2.7 ng g− 1 dry weight) and only few of these accumulated levels of concern for what concerns PCB, pointing out possible hotspots of contamination in the central-eastern Adriatic Sea. As regards metal(loid)s, the Metal Pollution Index identified areas of concern in the north Adriatic Sea (Gulf of Venice) with high levels of Co, Cu, Hg, Cr and Pb; in the Central Adriatic Sea (Tremiti islands) with high levels of Co, Ni, Hg, Cr and Pb; in the Southern Adriatic Sea (Taranto and offshore Corfu), with high levels of most metal(loid)s, especially Cr, Ni and Zn. Certain metal(loid)s (e.g. Cd, Pb and Hg) have declined over time and most of them are lower than well-known contaminated worldwide marine ecosystems. Only Cu appears to be particularly high in the Mediterranean zooplankton. Overall, this work suggests a general improvement of the status of contamination of the Adriatic Sea.

Microplastics (MPs) contamination is an existing and concerning environmental issue. Plastic particles have been observed worldwide in every natural matrix, with water environments being the final sink of dispersed MPs. Microplastic distribution in water ecosystems varies as a function of multiple factors, including polymer properties (e.g., density and wettability) and environmental conditions (e.g., water currents and temperature). Because of the tendency of MPs to settle, sediment is known to be one of the most impacted environmental matrices. Despite the increasing awareness of their diffusion in sediments, a proper quantification of dispersed particles is still difficult, due to the lack of standard protocols, which avoid a proper comparison of different sites. This hampers the current knowledge on environmental implications and toxicological effects of MPs in sediments. In this work, we examined 49 studies carried out from 2004 to 2020 to describe the different extraction methods applied, and to highlight pros and cons, with the aim of evaluating the more promising protocols. Therefore, we evaluated each proposed method by considering precision, reproducibility, economic viability and greenness (in term of used reagents). Finally, we proposed a valid alternative procedure in term of reliability and costs, which can attract increasing interest for future studies.

We present a 1:25,000 scale map of the coseismic surface ruptures following the 30 October 2016 Mw 6.5 Norcia normal-faulting earthquake, central Italy. Detailed rupture mapping is based on almost 11,000 oblique photographs taken from helicopter flights, that has been verified and integrated with field data (>7000 measurements). Thanks to the common efforts of the Open EMERGEO Working Group (130 people, 25 research institutions and universities from Europe), we were able to document a complex surface faulting pattern with a dominant strike of N135°-160° (SW-dipping) and a subordinate strike of N320°-345° (NE-dipping) along about 28 km of the active Mt. Vettore–Mt. Bove fault system. Geometric and kinematic characteristics of the rupture were observed and recorded along closely spaced, parallel or subparallel, overlapping or step-like synthetic and antithetic fault splays of the activated fault systems, comprising a total surface rupture length of approximately 46 km when all ruptures were considered.