Valentina Iannilli | ENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (original) (raw)

Papers by Valentina Iannilli

The European zoological journal, Jan 9, 2023

Water

The widespread occurrence of microplastics (MPs) has resulted in their interaction with biologica... more The widespread occurrence of microplastics (MPs) has resulted in their interaction with biological processes. Thus, there is a great concern about the potential toxicity of MPs on animal and plant cells and on the possibility that MPs reach humans through the food web. In order to shed light on both issues, laboratory assays were performed for evaluating the effects of polyethylene (PE) microparticles on the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. and the gammarid Echinogammarus veneris (Heller, 1865). Moreover, a stock of MP-treated Spirodela plants was used to feed gammarid individuals, and the presence of MP particles in their digestive tracts was analyzed. Results evidenced the lack of toxic effects of MPs on plants, evaluated at growth and physiological level by biometric parameters, pigment content, and photosynthetic performance estimated by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging through the ETPT (EcoTox Photosystem Tool). Only a slight reduction in pigment-related indices ...

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Plastic pollution in the environment has become a much-discussed issue worldwide. In recent decad... more Plastic pollution in the environment has become a much-discussed issue worldwide. In recent decades, the contamination of all environments has become increasingly evident, in particular, that of water is highly concerning. Ingestion by different animal species under natural conditions has also been demonstrated. Among these is the Talitrid Amphipod Cryptorchestia garbinii, which lives on the banks of the internal waterways and lakes' shorelines. As detritivores species, it is very exposed to microplastics that can be ingested, probably mistaking them for food. Aiming to highlight the microplastic ingestion and the role of this species as an entry point for the food web, we analyzed 80 specimens from 4 sites along the shores of Garda Lake, one of the first lakes in Italy to be studied for this type of contamination. The microplastics ingested were observed and quantified through the Nile Red staining method. We were able to verify the presence of ingested microplastics in all the samples analyzed and, therefore, in the food web. This species could serve as valuable natural models of plastic exposure. Microplastic sentinel species can be used as a proxy for environmental exposure and ecosystem monitoring tools to quantify and assess the impacts of microplastic contamination.

Social Science Research Network, 2022

Toxics

This study is the first to investigate the ingestion of microplastics (MPs), plasticizers, additi... more This study is the first to investigate the ingestion of microplastics (MPs), plasticizers, additives, and particles of micro-litter < 100 μm by larvae of Simuliidae (Diptera) in rivers. Blackflies belong to a small cosmopolitan insect family whose larvae are present alongside river courses, often with a torrential regime, up to their mouths. Specimens of two species of blackfly larvae, Simulium equinum and Simulium ornatum, were collected in two rivers in Central Italy, the Mignone and the Treja. Small microplastics (SMPs, <100 μm), plasticizers, additives, and other micro-litter components, e.g., natural and non-plastic synthetic fibers (APFs) ingested by blackfly larvae were, for the first time, quantified and concurrently identified via MicroFTIR. The pretreatment allowed for simultaneous extraction of the ingested SMPs and APFs. Strong acids or strong oxidizing reagents and the application of temperatures well above the glass transition temperature of polyamide 6 and 6.6 (...

XIII International Colloquium on Amphipoda. Tihany, Hungary, 20-25 may (2007), 2007

The aim of this study was to characterize the whole transcriptomes of two common Mediterranean fr... more The aim of this study was to characterize the whole transcriptomes of two common Mediterranean freshwater crustaceans: the copepod Eucyclops serrulatus (Fischer, 1851) and the amphipod Echinogammarus veneris Heller, 1865. Whole transcriptomic approaches may assist in studying the response to environmental pollution of species with little or no available genomic information, allowing the identification of genes involved in adaptation processes to polluted environments that can be studied in expression profile variation at a later stage. Further studies based on our results may allow for a more comprehensive overview of how freshwater crustaceans react to specific stressors, both from surface and groundwater habitats, where sub-lethal concentrations of individual stressors may become harmful when combined

FIGURE 3. Ingolfiella alba sp. nov., female, holotype, 1.85 mm, Marinduque, White Beach, Philippi... more FIGURE 3. Ingolfiella alba sp. nov., female, holotype, 1.85 mm, Marinduque, White Beach, Philippine: A–C, pereopods 3–5; E–F, pereopods 6–7; G, detail of pereopod 7. Allotype, male 1.76 mm, Marinduque, White Beach, Philippine: D, pereopod 6; I, pereopod 7; H, detail of pereopod 7. Scale: 0.05mm.

FIGURE 1. Ingolfiella alba sp. nov., male, paratype, 1.80 mm, Marinduque, White Beach, Philippine... more FIGURE 1. Ingolfiella alba sp. nov., male, paratype, 1.80 mm, Marinduque, White Beach, Philippine: A, general body aspect. Female holotype 1.85 mm, Marinduque, White Beach, Philippine: B, ocular lobe; C, detail of accessory flagellum of antenna 1; D, antenna 1; E, antenna 2. Scales: A, 0.1mm; B–E, 0.05mm.

Sars, 1863, classico esempio di specie olartica,con distribuzione disgiunta boreo-alpina. Le popo... more Sars, 1863, classico esempio di specie olartica,con distribuzione disgiunta boreo-alpina. Le popolazioni esaminate dal punto di vista morfologico (tutte quelle italia-ne, alpine e appenniniche, attualmente conosciute e una norvegese) e genetico (allozimi e DNA mitocondriale inquattro popolazioni alpine, una appenninica e una norvegese) risultano molto simili. Solo la popolazione piu meridio-nale, del Lago Vivo nell’Appennino centrale, mostra una lieve divergenza genetica, che ne conferma il significato direlitto post-glaciale. Viene messa a punto e discussa la distribuzione della specie in Italia, il cui areale, frammentato ein riduzione, appare limitato a poche stazioni nelle Alpi centro-orientali e nell’Appennino settentrionale e centrale,collegate da un nuovo reperto nelle Alpi occidentali (Lago della Maddalena). Il confronto con altre quattro specie digammaridi,

Environmental Research, 2019

The present paper provides the first record of ingestion of microplastics in natural context by G... more The present paper provides the first record of ingestion of microplastics in natural context by Gammarus setosus from Svalbard Archipelago. The plastic particles were identified both by Nile Red staining and Micro FT-IR spectroscopy. The species studied ingests microplastic particles in natural conditions if present in its habitat, probably mistaking them as food. The microplastic particles ingested may be available for uptake to predators that consume this Arctic amphipod, producing consequences to the food web.

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), Jan 9, 2018

Plastic debris incidence in marine environment was already highlighted in the early 1970s. Over t... more Plastic debris incidence in marine environment was already highlighted in the early 1970s. Over the last decade, microplastic pollution in the environment has received increasing attention and is now an emerging research area. Many studies have focused on quantifying microplastic abundance in the marine environment, while there are relatively few data on microplastic occurrence in freshwater environment. Recent studies have reported high concentrations of microplastics in lakes and rivers, although the understanding of several factors influencing source, transport and fate is still limited. This study compares different lakes and the common factors, which could influence the occurrence and distribution of microplastics. The three subalpine lakes monitored include Lake Maggiore, Iseo and Garda. The selected sampling transects reflect the hydrologic conditions, the morphometric characteristics of these lakes, and other factors influencing the release of plastics debris in lakes. Parti...

Environmental Pollution, 2017

The ability of Posidonia oceanica spheroids (egagropiles, EG) to incorporate plastics was investi... more The ability of Posidonia oceanica spheroids (egagropiles, EG) to incorporate plastics was investigated along the central Italy coast. Plastics were found in the 52.84% of the egagropiles collected (n = 685). The more represented size of plastics has range within 1-1.5 cm, comparable to the size of natural fibres. Comparing plastics occurring both in EG and in surrounding sand, Polyethylene, Polyester and Nylon were the most abundant polymers in EG, while PSE, PE, PP and PET were the most represented in sand. In particular PE and PP were significantly more represented in sand, while PE, Nylon, Polyester and microfibers (as pills) were more represented in EG. Within plastics found in EG, 26.9% were microfibers as small pills (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;1 cm), mainly composed of polyamide, polyester, cotton and PET mixing. These microfibers might be produced by discharges from washing machines and currently represents an emerging pollutant with widespread distribution in marine and freshwater ecosystems.

ABSTRACT The European Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/CE) specifies the need of monitoring... more ABSTRACT The European Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/CE) specifies the need of monitoring programs in order to reach the good chemical and ecological status in all water bodies by 2015. Therefore arises the substance of increasing emission controls of toxic chemicals in the aquatic environment, and the importance of developing biomarkers as a tool for monitoring the environmental quality. Many xenobiotics and newly developed substances released in the environment have been found genotoxic for living organisms (Claxton et al., 1998). Genotoxic agents may produce a cascade of adverse changes from the cellular to the population levels. In genotoxicity studies has been paid less attention to freshwater invertebrates, in particular to Crustacea. However, among freshwater species Crustacean amphipods are suitable organisms for ecotoxicological assessment of environmental pollution. Gammarids species are ecologically relevant since they are an important food resource for other macroinvertebrates, fish and amphibian species and, also because they play an important role in leaf litter breakdown processes (Macneil et al., 1997). The aim of this study was to develop and validate a genotoxic biomarkers using Comet assay in the freshwater invertebrates Gammarus elvirae, by use two different cell-type: haemocytes and spermatozoa. The cells have been exposed in vivo to different concentrations of mercury and lead. In addition we have investigated the capability of Gammarus elvirae to bioaccumulate this two heavy metals. The results demonstrated:- The possibility to use the freshwater amphipod G. elvirae in environmental genotoxicity studies with the Comet assay; - A different genotoxic response between the haemolymph and the sperms cells. In particular, this cell type exhibit a greater sensitivity and, at the same time a high response variability;- A good bioaccumulation ability of the freshwater amphipods G. elvirae for the metals investigated;- A DNA damage statistically significant, even at concentrations lower than the limits imposed by the D.Lgs 152/06.

The invasive Ponto-Caspian gammarid Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) is among the most su... more The invasive Ponto-Caspian gammarid Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) is among the most successful invaders of aquatic ecosystems in Europe (Bij de Vaate et al., 2002) and was observed in Italy for the first time in Lake Garda during the 2003 (Casellato et al., 2006). The "killer shrimp" became a threat for indigenous species which share similar microhabitats: Echinogammarus stammeri (S. Karaman, 1931) was segregated from the littoral zone of Lake Garda to higher depths, especially in the southern basin (Casellato et al., 2008). Ten years after the first record and monitoring, we have checked the distribution of D. villosus and E. stammeri (Fig. 1), to verify the evolution of the invasion.

The European zoological journal, Jan 9, 2023

Water

Social Science Research Network, 2022

Toxics

XIII International Colloquium on Amphipoda. Tihany, Hungary, 20-25 may (2007), 2007

Environmental Research, 2019

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), Jan 9, 2018

Environmental Pollution, 2017

L’Artico visto da Ny Alesund: risultati delle ricerche, nuove proposte e visioni d’insieme, 2019

Environmental contamination by plastic debris is documented in marine environment from the 1970’s... more Environmental contamination by plastic debris is documented in marine environment from the 1970’s and now dispersion in aquatic environments shows a worldwide diffusion, including pristine areas such as deep sea, Arctic Ocean and Antarctica. It is a top emerging global issue due to persistence, ubiquity and threat posed to biota. Plastic litter can be degraded in progressively smaller pieces, classified as microplastic when their size is between 5 mm and 1 µm.
Microplastics are the most abundant and pervasive components, because these small particles can be ingested and accumulated within organisms, causing physical and mechanical damages, obstructions of gastrointestinal tract and a consequent pseudo-satiation resulting in reduced food intake that may lead to mortality. Toxic effects due to organic compounds and trace elements adsorbed on the microplastics may be a potential hazard, as well.

La capacità di una nuova specie di stabilirsi all'interno di una comunità può dipendere dalla sua... more La capacità di una nuova specie di stabilirsi all'interno di una
comunità può dipendere dalla sua tolleranza alle condizioni del nuovo
ambiente e dai contaminanti in esso presenti. Di conseguenza, l’approccio
ecotossicologico può essere funzionale alla valutazione del potenziale
impatto ecologico di una specie aliena su una comunità, utilizzando il
confronto con una analoga specie autoctona. Gli erbicidi a base di
glifosate sono i più ampiamente utilizzati in tutto il mondo, sebbene i dati
sulla tossicità acquatica siano ancora relativamente scarsi. Nel 2013 il
glifosate e il suo prodotto di degradazione (AMPA) sono stati i pesticidi più
rilevati nelle acque superficiali italiane. Oggetto del presente studio è stata
la valutazione delle differenze di sensibilità alla tossicità da glifosate nella
formulazione Roundup® tra una specie aliena, Dikerogammarus villosus, di
origine Ponto-Caspica ed una autoctona Echinogammarus veneris
ampiamente distribuita in Italia in ambienti potenzialmente colonizzabili da
D. villosus. Per operare il confronto si è scelto di utilizzare l’analisi del
danno genotossico attraverso il Test della Cometa (Comet test), un
metodo semplice e sensibile per studiare il danno al DNA. Esemplari di
entrambe le specie sono stati esposti in vivo a tre concentrazioni di
Roundup®, successivamente è stato condotto il Test della Cometa sulle
cellule dell’emolinfa. I risultati ottenuti mostrano differenze nel danno
genotossico osservato evidenziando una diversa sensibilità delle specie
testate all’inquinante.