Assessment of microplastics pollution level on clam farming and bathing beaches: a case study of Thanh Phu in Ben Tre, Vietnam.

This study focused on the investigation microplastics (MPs) with a size of ≤1.0 mm in sand samples from Thanh Phu beach, Ben Tre, Vietnam. MPs in sand from the clam beach (from 39.67 ± 6.67 to 92.00 ± 12.93 items kg-1 dried sand) were higher than those from the bathing beach (from 21.33 ± 8.76 to 51.67 ± 16.11 items kg-1 dried sand), indicating a direct contribution of MPs from coastal aquaculture. For the clam beach, MPs in surface samples (0-4 cm) were lower than in deep samples (4-6 cm). In contrast, MPs in surface samples (0-2 cm) from the bathing beach were higher than deep samples (2-5 cm). A combination of microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy methods confirmed that 62.5% of the representative MPs samples or 18.9% of the suspected MPs samples were plastics. Low-density polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate were the largest in abundance. Further studies are needed to assess the environmental risk of MPs accumulation.

Spatio-temporal variation and ecological risk assessment of microplastics along the touristic beaches of a mediterranean coast transect (Valencia province, East Spain).

Annually, the Mediterranean region attracts around one-third of the global coastal tourism, which is acknowledged as a substantial contributor to plastic pollution. Coastal municipalities mitigate this through periodic sand and shore cleaning. However, the efficacy of these measures remains uncertain. In this study, the occurrence of MPs (10 µm-5 mm) in sand from seven different, regularly cleaned, touristic beaches of the coastline of Valencia province (E Spain) was assessed. Two different sampling campaigns were performed in winter and in summer (2022) to compare the results and understand the influence of the high touristic activity, as well as, the efficiency of the measures taken against MPs pollution. The methodology used was designed specifically for the matrix and employed density separation using a Sediment Microplastic Isolation (SMI) Unit. In addition to conventional visual inspection and ATR-FTIR, automatic quantification and identification of the polymers of lower size was performed by µFTIR. The average MPs concentration in the summer (339 ± 92 MP kg-1 by stereomicroscopy and 339 ± 189 MP kg-1 by µFTIR) was significantly higher than in the winter (71 ± 92 MP kg-1 and 143 ± 85 MP kg-1) (p < 0.05). The combination of these analytical tools provides comprehensive information about the MPs present in beach sand. Fibers were the most abundant form of MPs, while most of the polymers analyzed were polyethylene (PE) and halogenated polystyrene (Cl-PS and Br-PS) with food packaging, swimming equipment and fishing nets being their most probable sources. Ecological risk assessment was performed through the Pollution Load Index (PLI), the Hazardous Index (HI) and the Risk Quotient (RQ), with the results indicating potential risk that ranges from moderate to high depending on the applied approach.

Plastic pollution as a novel reservoir for the environmental survival of the drug resistant fungal pathogen Candida auris.

The WHO recently classified Candida auris as a fungal pathogen of "critical concern". Evidence suggests that C. auris emerged from the natural environment, yet the ability of this pathogenic yeast to survive in the natural environment is still poorly understood. The aim of this study, therefore, was to quantify the persistence of C. auris in simulated environmental matrices and explore the role of plastic pollution for facilitating survival and potential transfer of C. auris. Multi-drug resistant strains of C. auris persisted for over 30 days in river water or seawater, either planktonically, or in biofilms colonising high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or glass. C. auris could be transferred from plastic beads onto simulated beach sand, particularly when the sand was wet. Importantly, all C. auris cells recovered from plastics retained their pathogenicity; therefore, plastic pollution could play a significant role in the widescale environmental dissemination of this recently emerged pathogen.

Radioactivity concentration and radiological risk assessment of beach sand along the coastline in the Mediterranean Sea.

A radiological baseline survey was conducted using a calculation analysis to assess the 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs distribution in beach sand samples collected from the coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. An analysis of the activity concentration of selected radionuclides was conducted. No evidence of recent migration of radiocaesium was found through precipitation, as well as indirect pathways, such as ocean runoff. The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs in beach sands ranged from 12 ± 1 to 37 ± 4 Bq kg- 1 (mean of 26 ± 3 Bq kg- 1); 18 ± 2 to 71 ± 8 Bq kg- 1 (mean of 40 ± 5 Bq kg- 1); 411 ± 10 to 720 ± 16 Bq kg- 1 (mean of 572 ± 12 Bq kg- 1); and 0.8 ± 0.1 to 3.1 ± 0.6 Bq kg- 1 (mean of 1.9 ± 0.3 Bq kg- 1), respectively. The radiological risk assessment showed that in all cases the values were lower than those that endanger life and safe work.

Characterization of the Pathogenic Potential of the Beach Sand Microbiome and Assessment of Quicklime as a Remediation Tool.

Beach sand may act as a reservoir for potential human pathogens, posing a public health risk. Despite this, the microbiological monitoring of sand microbiome is rarely performed to determine beach quality. In this study, the sand microbial population of a Northern Adriatic Sea beach sand was profiled by microbiological (CFU counts) and molecular methods (WGS, microarray), showing significant presence of potential human pathogens including drug-resistant strains. Consistent with these results, the potential of quicklime as a restoring method was tested in vitro and on-field. Collected data showed that adding 1-3% quicklime (w/w) to sand provided an up to -99% of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, till 45 days post-treatment. In conclusion, data suggest that accurate monitoring of sand microbiome may be essential, besides water, to assess beach quality and safety. Moreover, first evidences of quicklime potential for sand decontamination are provided, suggesting its usage as a possible way to restore the microbiological quality of sand in highly contaminated areas.

Evaluation of radioactivity in soil and rock samples from an undiscovered sea beach in the southeastern coastline of Bangladesh and associated health risk.

This study marks the first-ever assessment of radiological hazards linked to the sands and rocks of Patuartek Sea Beach, situated along one of the world's longest sea beaches in Cox' Bazar of Bangladesh. Through the utilization of an HPGe detector, a comprehensive analysis of the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40 K was conducted, and their activity ranged from 7 to 23 Bq/kg, 9-58 Bq/kg, and 172-340 Bq/kg, respectively, in soils, and 19-24 Bq/kg, 27-39 Bq/kg, and 340-410 Bq/kg, respectively, in rocks. Some sand samples exhibited elevated levels of 232Th, while the rock samples displayed higher levels of 40 K compared to the global average. The radiological hazard parameters were assessed, and no values surpassed the recommended limits set by several international organizations. Hence, the sands and rocks of Patuartek sea beach pose no significant radiological risk to the residents or tourists. The findings of this study provide crucial insights for the development of a radiological baseline map in the country, which is important due to the commissioning of the country's first nuclear power plant Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The data may also stimulate interest in the rare-earth minerals present in the area, which is important for the electronics industry, thorium-based nuclear fuel cycles.

Detection of enteric viruses and SARS-CoV-2 in beach sand.

Beach sand harbors a diverse group of microbial organisms that may be of public health concern. Nonetheless, little is known about the presence and distribution of viruses in beach sand. In this study, the first objective was to evaluate the presence of seven viruses (Aichi virus, enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, human adenovirus, norovirus, rotavirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) in sands collected at public beaches. The second objective was to assess the spatial distribution of enteric viruses in beach sand. To that end, 27 beach sand samples from different beaches in Portugal were collected between November 2018 and August 2020 and analyzed for the presence of viruses. At seven beaches, samples were collected in the supratidal and intertidal zones. Results show that viruses were detected in 89 % (24/27) of the sand samples. Aichi virus was the most prevalent (74 %). Noroviruses were present in 19 % of the samples (norovirus GI - 15 %, norovirus GII - 4 %). Human adenovirus and enterovirus were detected in 48 % and 22 % of the samples, respectively. Hepatitis A virus and rotavirus were not detected. Similarly, SARS-CoV-2 in beach sand collected during the initial stages of the pandemic was also not detected. The detection of three or more viruses occurred in 15 % of the samples. Concentrations of viruses were as high as 7.2 log copies (cp)/g of sand. Enteric viruses were found in higher prevalence in sand collected from the supratidal zone compared to the intertidal zone. Human adenovirus was detected in 43 % of the supratidal and 14 % in the intertidal samples and Aichi virus in 57 % and 86 % of the intertidal and supratidal areas, respectively. Our findings suggest that beach sand can be a reservoir of enteric viruses, suggesting that it might be a vehicle for disease transmission, particularly for children, the elderly, and immunocompromised users.

Macro- and microplastic abundance from recreational beaches along the South Aegean Sea (Türkiye).

This study aimed to evaluate the abundance and diversity of macro- and microplastics in sand samples collected during summer and winter from eight different beaches used for recreational purposes located on the South Aegean coasts of Türkiye. According to the results, microplastic in fiber shape was dominant on all the beaches. The highest microplastic abundance was determined at Ölüdeniz Kumburnu Beach (360.00 ± 237.66 particles kg-1 dw) in summer and at Aktur Beach (358.33 ± 397.24 particles kg-1 dw) in winter. A significant positive correlation was found in the winter between microplastic amounts and wind speed. The study area is an important touristic center faraway from major cities and industrial areas. Thus, plastic pollution in this area may be the result of tourism activities in the summer, discharge waters from wastewater treatment plants or transportation by meteorological factors (like waves, wind or river flows).

Potential impacts of environmental bacteria on the microbiota of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle eggs and their hatching success.

Sea turtle hatching success can be affected by many variables, including pathogenic microbes, but it is unclear which microbes are most impactful and how they are transmitted into the eggs. This study characterized and compared the bacterial communities from the (i) cloaca of nesting sea turtles (ii) sand within and surrounding the nests; and (iii) hatched and unhatched eggshells from loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles. High throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene V4 region amplicons was performed on samples collected from 27 total nests in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsboro beaches in southeast Florida, United States. Significant differences were identified between hatched and unhatched egg microbiota with the differences caused predominately by Pseudomonas spp., found in higher abundances in unhatched eggs (19.29% relative abundance) than hatched eggs (1.10% relative abundance). Microbiota similarities indicate that the nest sand environment, particularly nest distance from dunes, played a larger role than the nesting mother's cloaca in influencing hatched and unhatched egg microbiota. Pathogenic bacteria potentially derive from mixed-mode transmission or additional sources not included in this study as suggested by the high proportion (24%-48%) of unhatched egg microbiota derived from unknown sources. Nonetheless, the results suggest Pseudomonas as a candidate pathogen or opportunistic colonizer associated with sea turtle egg-hatching failure.

Diversity and Dynamics of Marine Arenicolous Fungi in Three Seasides of the Korean Peninsula.

Various arenicolous fungal species have been detected from the beach sand in the coastal area. However, little has been revealed regarding their distribution and dynamics. To investigate the overall diversity of marine arenicolous fungi (MAFs) in Korea and whether the composition of MAFs is affected by ocean currents, we isolated and analyzed the fungal community from the western, southern, and eastern seasides of the Korean Peninsula. In total, 603 strains were isolated and identified as 259 species based on appropriate molecular markers for each genus (ITS, BenA, CaM, tef1, and act). The composition of MAFs showed differences among the seasides. Our results indicate that many MAFs inhabit the beach sand on the Korean Peninsula, and the composition of MAFs is also affected by ocean currents flowing along each coast.

Genetic Determinants of Escherichia coli Survival in Beach Sand.

Escherichia coli contain a high level of genetic diversity and are generally associated with the guts of warm-blooded animals but have also been isolated from secondary habitats outside hosts. We used E. coli isolates from previous in situ microcosm experiments conducted under actual beach conditions and performed population-level genomic analysis to identify accessory genes associated with survival within the beach sand environment. E. coli strains capable of surviving had been selected for by seeding isolates originating from sand, sewage, and gull waste (n = 528; 176 from each source) into sand, which was sealed in microcosm chambers and buried for 45 days in the backshore beach of Lake Michigan. In the current work, survival-associated genes were identified by comparing the pangenome of viable E. coli populations at the end of the microcosm experiment with the original isolate collection and identifying loci enriched in the out put samples. We found that environmental survival was associated with a wide variety of genetic factors, with the majority corresponding to metabolism enzymes and transport proteins. Of the 414 unique functions identified, most were present across E. coli phylogroups, except B2 which is often associated with human pathogens. Gene modules that were enriched in surviving populations included a betaine biosynthesis pathway, which produces an osmoprotectant, and the GABA (gamma-aminobutyrate) biosynthesis pathway, which aids in pH homeostasis and nutrient use versatility. Overall, these results demonstrate that the genetic flexibility within this species allows for survival in the environment for extended periods. IMPORTANCE Escherichia coli is commonly used as an indicator of recent fecal pollution in recreational water despite its known ability to survive in secondary environments, such as beach sand. These long-term survivors from sand reservoirs can be introduced into the water column through wave action or runoff during precipitation events, thereby impacting the perception of local water quality. Current beach monitoring methods cannot differentiate long-term environmental survivors from E. coli derived from recent fecal input, resulting in inaccurate monitoring results and unnecessary beach closures. This work identified the genetic factors that are associated with long-term survivors, providing insight into the mechanistic basis for E. coli accumulation in beach sand. A greater understanding of the intrinsic ability of E. coli to survive long-term and conditions that promote such survival will provide evidence of the limitations of beach water quality assessments using this indicator.

Fungal diversity in lake and sea beaches of Italy: Relevance to human health.

Fungal diseases correlated to beach sand or water have not yet been demonstrated due to the lack of epidemiological studies. This study aims to illustrate the fungal population in beach sands of the two largest Italian lakes and in sands and waters of Mediterranean coasts of Southern Italy to contribute to the identification and assessment of causes of microbiological pollution that might impair bathers health. A great difference was observed between the two lakes, where the total of colony-forming units (CFU) ranged from 33.3 to 1049.9 CFU/g. For coastal sands, the total CFU ranged from 216.7 to 538.8 CFU/g, and for coastal waters the total ranged from 185 to 368.7 CFU/ml. The survey revealed the prevalence of opportunistic pathogenic moulds, mainly Aspergillus spp. (A. niger and A. fumigatus) and Penicillium spp., both in freshwater and costal bathing sites. Dermatophytes and yeasts were not detected in the freshwater sands while they were found at low load in coastal waters (3.3 CFU/ml) and sands (1.7 CFU/g). Differences were observed between urban and non-urban coastal beaches with regard to isolation of dermatophytes only from one urban beach. The present study reports a great diversity of fungi in sand and water of bathing beaches confirming that the Mediterranean region has a greater variety of fungal species.

Occupational exposure to mercury from cinnabar enriched sand in workers of Grado Beach, Gulf of Trieste (North-eastern Italy, upper Adriatic Sea).

Health and safety of occupations entailing extensive skin contact with cinnabar-enriched sand in beaches of Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region (North-eastern Italy) have been questioned for possible skin absorption of mercury (Hg). One hundred mg hair was collected from the occipital scalp of 50 male workers of Grado beach and 121 males from FVG general population. Factors associated with hair Hg content were investigated by multivariable logistic (considering Hg levels >1 vs ≤1 mg/kg) and log-transformed linear regression. The median hair concentration of Hg in male beach workers was 0.70 (IQR = 0.42; 1.34) mg/kg, lower than FVG general population's [1.29 (IQR = 0.87-2.06) mg/kg (p < 0.001)]. In both regression models the hair Hg increased with fish consumption, both among beach workers of Grado and FVG general population. The mean Hg levels in beach workers of Grado fell within an acceptable range, not requiring restrictions of their occupational activities.

What Is Hiding in the Israeli Mediterranean Seawater and Beach Sand.

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we aimed to investigate the presence of fungi that may affect human health in sand and water on Israeli Mediterranean Sea coast beaches. METHODS: The study included screening of the sand and water of six urban beaches from north to south on the Israeli Mediterranean coast. Sand samples were extracted with water, and the water wash was cultured and quantitated. Water samples were quantitated as well. MALDI-TOF MS analysis and ITS sequencing identified the fungi. RESULTS: The study considered several parameters: 1. Presence of fecal-contamination-related fungi; 2. Presence of dermal-infection-related fungi. 3. Presence of allergy-related fungi; 4. Presence of fungi posing risk for immunocompromised individuals. The screen revealed that about 80% of the isolates were molds and about 20% yeasts. The mold species included opportunistic pathogens and potential allergens: Aspergillus fumigatus and other Aspergillus species, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Mucorales species. Yeast isolates included Candida-including the human commensals Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis-Cryptococcus, and Rhodotorula species. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that beaches should be monitored for fungi for safer use, better management, and the benefit of public health.

Occurrence, Diversity and Anti-Fungal Resistance of Fungi in Sand of an Urban Beach in Slovenia-Environmental Monitoring with Possible Health Risk Implications.

Beach safety regulation is based on faecal indicators in water, leaving out sand and fungi, whose presence in both matrices has often been reported. To study the abundance, diversity and possible fluctuations of mycobiota, fungi from sand and seawater were isolated from the Portoroz beach (Slovenia) during a 1-year period. Sand analyses yielded 64 species of 43 genera, whereas seawater samples yielded 29 species of 18 genera. Environmental and taxonomical data of fungal communities were analysed using machine learning approaches. Changes in the air and water temperature, sunshine hours, humidity and precipitation, air pressure and wind speed appeared to affect mycobiota. The core genera Aphanoascus, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Bisifusarium, Penicillium, Talaromyces, and Rhizopus were found to compose a stable community within sand, although their presence and abundance fluctuated along with weather changes. Aspergillus spp. were the most abundant and thus tested against nine antimycotics using Sensititre Yeast One kit. Aspergillus niger and A. welwitschiae isolates were found to be resistant to amphotericin B. Additionally, four possible human pollution indicators were isolated during the bathing season, including Meyerozyma, which can be used in beach microbial regulation. Our findings provide the foundations for additional research on sand and seawater mycobiota and show the potential effect of global warming and extreme weather events on fungi in sand and sea.

Radioactive risk assessment of beach sand along the coastline of Mediterranean Sea at El-Arish area, North Sinai, Egypt.

Beach sand includes various levels of natural radioactivity, which can cause health effects. The natural radioactivity was measured in the beach sand along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea at the east of the El-Arish area, Egypt. Using the HPGe spectrometer, the contribution of radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the gamma emitted radiation illustrated that the 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentrations are 8.8 ± 3.9, 30.8 ± 12.2 and 106.9 ± 46.8 Bq kg-1, respectively, which is lower than the reported worldwide limit 33, 45 and 412 Bq kg-1. The radioactive hazards associated with the beach sand along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea at the east of the El-Arish area were investigated. The obtained results among the radiological hazard parameters, the radium equivalent content (Raeq), the absorbed dose rate (Dair), annual effective dose (AED), external (Hex) and internal (Hin) hazard indices were estimated. Moreover, the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and the annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) were also computed and illustrated their values less than the recommended levels. Multivariate statistical approaches like Pearson correlation, the principal component analysis (PCA) and the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied to investigate the correlation between the radionuclides and the corresponding radiological hazard variables. Based on the statistical analysis, the 226Ra and 232Th mainly contribute to the radioactive risk of beach sand. Finally, no significant risk of the public associated with utilizing beach sand in building materials.

Climate Change Impacts on Microbiota in Beach Sand and Water: Looking Ahead.

Beach sand and water have both shown relevance for human health and their microbiology have been the subjects of study for decades. Recently, the World Health Organization recommended that recreational beach sands be added to the matrices monitored for enterococci and Fungi. Global climate change is affecting beach microbial contamination, via changes to conditions like water temperature, sea level, precipitation, and waves. In addition, the world is changing, and humans travel and relocate, often carrying endemic allochthonous microbiota. Coastal areas are amongst the most frequent relocation choices, especially in regions where desertification is taking place. A warmer future will likely require looking beyond the use of traditional water quality indicators to protect human health, in order to guarantee that waterways are safe to use for bathing and recreation. Finally, since sand is a complex matrix, an alternative set of microbial standards is necessary to guarantee that the health of beach users is protected from both sand and water contaminants. We need to plan for the future safer use of beaches by adapting regulations to a climate-changing world.

Radiological monitoring in some coastal regions of the Saudi Arabian Gulf close to the Iranian Bushehr nuclear plant.

We studied the concentrations of terrestrial and anthropogenic radionuclides in seawater and shore sediment/sand of three selected regions; Khafji, Safaniyah and Menifah along the Saudi Arabian Gulf coast. The mean activity concentrations of the 228Ra, 226Ra, and 40K in the analyzed sand samples are 5.9, 3.5 and 113.5 Bq/kg, and the respective values in seawater samples are 1.6, 0.8 and 10.4 Bq/L. All data show lower than the corresponding UNSCEAR (2000) reported world average values of 35, 30 and 400 Bq/kg for soil matrix. A few relevant radiological hazards were quantified by the estimation of the absorbed dose rate, and the results are compared with the prescribed limits set by international regulatory bodies. Measured data indicates that the studied coastal regions pose a negligible radiological hazards to the public, and show an insignificant radioactive loading to this coastal region by the Busher nuclear power plant.

Microplastic pollution in surface seawater and beach sand from the shore of Rayong province, Thailand: Distribution, characterization, and ecological risk assessment.

The distribution, characteristics, and ecological risk of microplastics in beach sand and seawater samples collected along the shore of Rayong province, Thailand, were investigated in this study. The average microplastics abundance in beach sand and seawater was 338.89 ± 264.94 particles/kg d.w. and 1781.48 ± 1598.36 particles/m3, respectively. Beach sand and seawater had the most yellow-brown particles and transparent microfibers, respectively. The most common microplastics (100-500 µm) and polyethylene were found. In beach sand, the potential ecological risk (RI) is classified as minor, while in seawater, it is classified as medium. The PLIzone in beach sand and seawater was Hazard Level II and Hazard Level IV, respectively. Despite their apparent proximity, the non-correlation between risk levels in beach sand and seawater may be due to polymer type variations influenced by the different land-based and sea-based sources.

Occurrence and identification of Penicillium and Talaromyces species from beach sand

Aims@#Penicillium and Talaromyces were among the species of microfungi that inhabit beach sand in Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang Island, Malaysia. Previously, Talaromyces was described as the sexual stage of Penicillium, but both are now accepted as separate genera based on molecular phylogeny. The aim of the present study was to identify species of Penicillium and Talaromyces that are present in beach sand in Malaysia.@*Methodology and results@#Species identities were confirmed according to similarities of the internal transcribed spacer regions and β-tubulin gene sequences and a phylogenetic analysis based on both regions/gene. Nine Penicillium spp. were identified as P. georgiense, P. chermesinum, P. pimiteouiense, P. citrinum, P. oxalicum, P. daleae, P. rolfsii and Penicillium sp. and the four Talaromyces spp. were T. siamense, T. atroroseus, T. minioluteus and T. fusiformis.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#These findings showed that beach sand harboured a variety of Penicillium and Talaromyces species. The occurrence of Penicillium and Talaromyces in beach sands is associated with the organic matter in the sand, which provides suitable substrates and nutrient sources. Due to this, beach sand might harbour many potentially pathogenic or opportunistic species that may pose a health concern to immunocompromised individuals.