Distribution of rare earth elements (REEs) in the feathers of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) from different geographical locations of the Antarctic peninsula area.

Antarctica is the most remote and coldest regions of the planet, but the presence of REEs there has received little attention. This study assessed REE-contents in the feathers of adult gentoo penguins from Ardley Island, Kopaitic Island and Base O'Higgins. Field work was accomplished during 2011 (austral summer), and determination of elements was performed with ICP-MS. In general, REE-levels showed descending relations as follows: Ce > La > Y > Nd > Sc > Pr > Gd > Sm > Dy >Er > Yb > Eu > Ho > Tb > Tm > Lu. The data showed an increase of the levels of REEs from the lower part of the feather to the tip. This finding seems to be spatially dependent, but geochemical, anthropogenic conditions, feeding habits, sex, or even health status of birds should also be considered. It is a subject that requires deeper attention in future studies.

First report of some rare earth elements and trace elements in sands from different islands located in the Marine Natural Monument Archipelago Cayos Cochinos, Caribbean Sea.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of chemicals widely used in emerging technologies today, and are often labeled as potential environmental contaminants. The Cayos Cochinos Archipelago is a protected area of Honduras, Central America, with intertidal and supratidal sands, making it a prime candidate for pollution research. In December 2022, sand samples from the Cayos Cochinos area was collected and analyzed by X-ray fluorescence to determine the levels of REEs and some less-studied trace elements (TEs). Based on the findings, REEs mean contents (µg g-1 d.w.) fluctuated between 2.96 for Y to 667.1 for Nd, while TEs ranged from 10.37 for Th to 3896.2 for Sr. Also, the results showed significantly higher levels of La, Pr, Y, Sr, Ba, and Th in the supratidal zone than in the intertidal zone. The data are useful as a basis for understanding the presence of chemical elements in near-shore marine areas and subsequently help identify sustainable practices that will reduce the impacts of these chemicals.

Burden of rare earth elements and trace elements in feathers of magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) from the southern Chilean Patagonia.

Patagonia is one of the last pristine regions on the southern hemisphere. The impact of rare earth element (REEs) and trace elements (TEs) in this region have received little attention. The main goal was to assess REEs burden in feathers of adult magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). Sampling was performed at Magdalena Island of the Chilean Patagonia during the austral summer of 2011. Multi-elemental determination of 16 REEs and 24 TEs was performed with ICP-MS. The levels of REEs, TEs, and stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C, and δ34S) were measured to assess the factors that condition the avian exposure to environmental contaminants. The results showed an increase of the levels of REEs and TEs from the calamus to the feather's tip. In the whole feather, the highest levels corresponded to Ce, which exhibited more than two order of magnitude than Lu and Tm levels. Similar to other penguin species, magellanic penguins can be vectors of REEs and metals in remote regions. Stable isotopes revealed that trophic ecology may influence some of the element concentrations in feathers of magellanic penguins, an issue that requires deeper attention.

Concentration of fifty-six elements in excreta of penguins from the Antarctic Peninsula area.

Seabird feces as indicators of the exposure to environmental contaminants have been studied worldwide. Penguins are indicator species for marine pollution, but their role as biovectors of rare earth elements (REEs) to ecosystems have been little studied. The present study quantified the concentration of REEs and trace elements (TEs) in feces of gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua). Adult penguin excreta from Fildes Bay (King George Island) and Yelcho Base (Palmer Archipelago) were collected and then analyzed by ICP-MS. Among REEs, levels ranged from 0.0038 to 1.02 µg g-1 d.w. for Lu and Ce, respectively. For TEs, the levels varied widely through the sample set, with Al, Fe, Sr, Zn and Ti as the highest mean levels, particularly at Fildes Bay. The data show that gentoo penguins act as a biovector organism by transporting TEs and REEs from the sea to land via excreta, reaffirming that this species acts as an important biovector organism in Antarctic ecosystems. The potential impacts of this process on Antarctic ecosystems needs further research.

Occurrence of rare earth elements (REEs) and trace elements (TEs) in feathers of adult and young Gentoo penguins from King George Island, Antarctica.

Penguins are sentinel species for marine pollution, but their role as potential biovectors of REEs or TEs to ecosystems has been poorly studied. The present study analyzed (ICP-MS) feathers of young and adult Gentoo penguins from Fildes Bay, for 63 elements (including 15 REEs). Most of the REEs were present at very low levels, ranging from 0.002 (Lu) to 0.452 (Sm) µg g-1 d.w., several orders of magnitude lower than TEs. The content of TEs varied widely, with Al, Fe, Zn, Sr, Ba, Ti and Mn as the seven having the highest concentrations in the feathers of both age groups. The results show that P. papua deposits REEs and TEs through the feathers on the penguin rockery, whose potential actual impacts and long-term fate in remote regions need deeper research. This work presents essential baseline data that will be useful for further studies on Antarctic penguins.

Trace and rare earth elements in excreta of two species of marine mammals from South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.

Pinnipeds are sentinel species for marine pollution, but their role as vectors of trace elements (TEs) or rare earth elements (REEs) to ecosystems has been poorly studied. The present study tested pinniped feces for 61 elements, including REEs. Feces of adult seals (Mirounga leonina, Hydrurga leptonyx) from Fildes Bay, King George Island, Antarctica, were analyzed by ICP-MS. TEs varied by several orders of magnitude across the suite examined herein, with Fe, Al, Zn, Mn, HgII and Sr as the top six in both species. Of the REEs, Ce, Dy, Er, Eu, Gd, Ho, La, Lu, Nd, Pr, Sc, Sm, Tb, Y and Yb were found consistently in all samples and ranged from 0.935 to 0.006 µg g-1 d.w. The results show that both species act as biovector organisms of TEs and REEs through feces in remote environments, whose actual impacts and long-term fate need further exploration.

Trophodynamics of trace elements in marine organisms from cold and remote regions of southern hemisphere.

Trace metals bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms and some of them biomagnify through food webs, posing a threat to the organisms or their human consumers. Although the trophodynamics of many trace metals is well known in the northern hemisphere, much less is known about metals in aquatic food webs from cold and remote coastal zones of the southern hemisphere. To fill this gap, we investigated the trophodynamics of Al, Co, Cr, Li, Mo, Ni, Sr, and V, which were measured in marine macroinvertebrates and fishes from inshore and offshore locations in each of the Chilean Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula area. In Patagonia, there was biodilution of these metals across the whole food web, while biomagnification of Li and Ni was significantly found across the lower food web at the offshore site. In Antarctica, significant biodilution of Al, Li, Ni, Mo, Sr and V occurred through the whole food web for the inshore site, but no tendency (biodilution or biomagnification) was found (p > 0.05) across the organisms at lower trophic levels for the offshore site. Our data suggest that the geographic location and species influences the trophodynamics of these trace elements and expand our understanding of metal fate in remote locations of the southern hemisphere.

Persistence, bioaccumulation and vertical transfer of pollutants in long-finned pilot whales stranded in Chilean Patagonia.

Long-finned pilot whales (LFPW) are cetaceans with strong social groups often involved in mass strandings worldwide. However, these beachings occur for reasons that are not fully understood. In 2016, 124 LFPW were stranded on the Chilean Patagonian islands, offering a unique opportunity to obtain crucial information on the ecology, biology, and genetics of this population. In addition, we examined whether persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and trace elements (TEs) were responsible for this mass mortality. Stable isotopes (δ13C & δ15N) and genetic analyses were used to reconstruct the trophic ecology, social structure, and kinship of LFPW and compared to POPs and TEs levels found in LFPW. Mitochondrial DNA analyses on 71 individuals identified four maternal lineages within the stranded LFPW. Of these animals, 32 individuals were analyzed for a suite of POPs, TEs, and lipid content in blubber. The highest levels were found for ΣDDXs (6 isomers) (542.46 ± 433.46 ng/g, lw) and for total Hg (2.79 ± 1.91 mg/kg, dw). However, concentrations found in these LFPW were lower than toxicity thresholds and those reported for LFPW stranded in other regions. Evidence was found of ΣDDX, Σ7PCBs, and Cd bioaccumulation and maternal transfer of POPs in mother/offspring groups. Nevertheless, no clear relationship between contaminant concentrations and LFPW mortality was established. Further research is still needed to assess LFPW populations including conservations status and exposure to chemicals in remote areas such as Patagonia.

Plastic residues produced with confirmatory testing for COVID-19: Classification, quantification, fate, and impacts on human health.

In March 2020, several international organizations started making recommendations regarding the need for prompt coronavirus-based diagnosis in order to prevent its spread among the world's population. The most widely used test for confirmation of COVID-19 is real-time PCR (RT-PCR). This technique uses plastic supplies in its procedures, which are 100% disposable to avoid cross-contamination and biological risks. The scientific community has become increasingly worried because of the environmental impacts associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic, such as medical plastic residues. We classified and estimated the amount of plastic residues generated as a consequence of COVID-19 diagnostic tests and analyzed the relationships of the plastics generated with number of confirmed cases, population size, and gross domestic product in each country. We evidenced that the RT-PCR generates 37.27 g of plastic residues per sample. All patients COVID-19 tested with RT-PCR have generated 15,439.59 tons of plastic residue worldwide, until August 2020. The plastic residues generated by the COVID-19 tests have no relation with size population or gross domestic product of the countries. There is also no relationship between the plastic residues generated by the COVID-19 tests and the confirmed cases. About 97% of the plastic residues from diagnostic tests for coronavirus are incinerated due to their hazardous nature to humans, but toxic chemicals are released into the environment during the process. In the short term, there is a need to reduce plastic waste and improve controls of gas emissions from incineration plants in countries where there is a deficit. In the long term, biodegradable biomedical manufacturing that are free of releasing toxic chemicals when they are incinerated, must be considered.

Methylmercury biomagnification in coastal aquatic food webs from western Patagonia and western Antarctic Peninsula.

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant of concern because its organic and more toxic form, methylHg (MeHg), bioaccumulates and biomagnifies through aquatic food webs to levels that affect the health of fish and fish consumers, including humans. Although much is known about trophic transfer of MeHg in aquatic food webs at temperate latitudes in the northern hemisphere, it is unclear whether its fate is similar in biota from coastal zones of the southeastern Pacific. To assess this gap, MeHg, total Hg and food web structure (using δ13C and δ15N) were measured in marine macroinvertebrates, fishes, birds, and mammals from Patagonian fjords and the Antarctic Peninsula. Trophic magnification slopes (TMS; log MeHg versus δ15N) for coastal food webs of Patagonia were high when compared with studies in the northern hemisphere, and significantly higher near freshwater inputs as compared to offshore sites (0.244 vs 0.192). Similarly, in Antarctica, the site closer to glacial inputs had a significantly higher TMS than the one in the Southern Shetland Islands (0.132 vs 0.073). Composition of the food web also had an influence, as the TMS increased when mammals and seabirds were excluded (0.132-0.221) at a coastal site. This study found that both the composition of the food web and the proximity to freshwater outflows are key factors influencing the TMS for MeHg in Patagonian and Antarctic food webs.

Environment and COVID-19: Pollutants, impacts, dissemination, management and recommendations for facing future epidemic threats.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. Its relationship with environmental factors is an issue that has attracted the attention of scientists and governments. This article aims to deal with a possible association between COVID-19 and environmental factors and provide some recommendations for adequately controlling future epidemic threats. Environmental management through ecosystem services has a relevant role in exposing and spreading infectious diseases, reduction of pollutants, and control of climatic factors. Pollutants and viruses (such as COVID-19) produce negative immunological responses and share similar mechanisms of action. Therefore, they can have an additive and enhancing role in viral diseases. Significant associations between air pollution and COVID-19 have been reported. Particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) can obstruct the airway, exacerbating cases of COVID-19. Some climatic factors have been shown to affect SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Yet, it is not well established if climatic factors might have a cause-effect relationship to the spreading of SARS-CoV-2. So far, positive as well as negative indirect environmental impacts have been reported, with negative impacts greater and more persistent. Too little is known about the current pandemic to evaluate whether there is an association between environment and positive COVID-19 cases. We recommend smart technology to collect data remotely, the implementation of "one health" approach between public health physicians and veterinarians, and the use of biodegradable medical supplies in future epidemic threats.

Concentration and Trophic Transfer of Copper, Selenium, and Zinc in Marine Species of the Chilean Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula Area.

Patagonia and Antarctica are biodiverse regions in the Southern Hemisphere, but little is known about the levels of trace elements in marine organisms from these remote coastal ecosystems. In this study, selenium (Se), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ15N; relative trophic level) were measured in 36 marine species collected from two locations of the Chilean Patagonia and two locations of the Antarctic Peninsula area to determine whether biomagnification of these trace elements occurs in the food webs. Results indicated that Cu, Se, and Zn levels were slightly lower than those in similar species from elsewhere, and the highest metal levels were found in marine macroinvertebrates compared with fishes. There was evidence of Cu, Se, and Zn biomagnification but only within the lower-trophic-level organisms. When assessing whole food webs, levels of these elements typically decreased from macroinvertebrates to fishes or birds, suggesting lower risks of metal toxicity to higher-level consumers.

Concentration of trace elements in long-finned pilot whales stranded in northern Patagonia, Chile.

The use of trace metals and rare-earth elements (REEs) is increasing in the mining, metallurgic, electronic, and automobile industries due to their magnetic, heat-resistant, and phosphorescent properties. While large amounts of these metals are released to the environment, the toxic consequences in marine organisms are poorly understood. In Chile a mass stranding event of long-finned pilot whales (LFPW) (Globicephala melas) occurred in 2016 due to unknown consequences. Al, Ce, Cr, Cu, Tl, and Zn concentrations were analyzed in LFPW blubber tissue and correlated with body size and age class of individuals. While Al and Zn were higher in juvenile individuals, Ce, Cu, Cr, and Tl were higher in adults. This study provides the first base line of trace metals and REE in LFPW from the southern hemisphere and demonstrates the existence and persistence of trace elements in marine top predators from remote ecosystems like the Chilean Patagonia.

Accumulation and potential sources of lead in marine organisms from coastal ecosystems of the Chilean Patagonia and Antarctic Peninsula area.

Environmental concentrations of Pb have been increased due to anthropogenic activities, which have provoked the released of this element to the environment in large amounts. To understand how Pb behaves in remote southern marine ecosystems, we measured Pb concentrations and isotope ratios in biota from coastal marine ecosystems of the Chilean Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula area. Lead concentrations in the aquatic organisms ranged from 0.02 to 1.19 mg kg-1 d.w. In Patagonia, higher Pb levels were found in fish than in invertebrates (crab, shrimp, porifera, limpet and shellfish). In comparison with the baseline reference values from other parts of the world, fishes exhibited lower Pb levels. The results of Pb isotopic compositions indicated that the bioaccumulation of Pb in marine organisms come from different anthropogenic sources. These Pb levels might be useful for further studies that allow a deeper evaluation of sources for Pb contamination in these remote ecosystems.

Trophic transfer of cadmium in marine food webs from Western Chilean Patagonia and Antarctica.

In aquatic environments, Cd contamination is a great concern because this non-essential metal presents risks both for wildlife and human health. Data about the concentration and transfer of Cd in Patagonian and Antarctic aquatic food webs are crucial for assessing the impacts of this element in pristine ecosystems. Consequently, the concentration of Cd was measured in thirty-two species collected in the 2014 austral summer from two locations of the Western Patagonia and two locations of the Antarctic Peninsula. The main objective of this work was to assess the relationship between Cd concentration and trophic level determined by δ15N. In the studied trophic positions, Cd showed a positive relationship between concentration and trophic level, which suggests biomagnification of this element in macroinvertebrates. However, there was a significant dilution when higher trophic organisms were considered.

A Global Overview of Exposure Levels and Biological Effects of Trace Elements in Penguins.

Trace elements are chemical contaminants that can be present almost anywhere on the planet. The study of trace elements in biotic matrices is a topic of great relevance for the implications that it can have on wildlife and human health. Penguins are very useful, since they live exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere and represent about 90% of the biomass of birds of the Southern Ocean. The levels of trace elements (dry weight) in different biotic matrices of penguins were reviewed here. Maps of trace element records in penguins were included. Data on exposure and effects of trace elements in penguins were collected from the literature. The most reported trace elements in penguins are aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, copper, zinc, and manganese. Trace elements have been measured in 11 of the 18 species of penguins. The most studied biotic matrices are feathers and excreta. Most of the studies have been performed in Antarctica and subantarctic Islands. Little is known about the interaction among metals, which could provide better knowledge about certain mechanisms of detoxification in penguins. Future studies of trace elements in penguins must incorporate other metals such as vanadium, cobalt, nickel, and chromium. Data of metals in the species such as Eudyptes pachyrhynchus, Eudyptes moseleyi, Eudyptes sclateri, Eudyptes robustus, Eudyptes schlegeli, Spheniscus demersus, Spheniscus mendiculus, and Megadyptes antipodes are urged. It is important to correlate levels of metals in different biotic matrices with the effects on different species and in different geographic locations.

Embryo-larvae and juvenile toxicity of Pb and Cd in Northern Chilean scallop Argopecten purpuratus.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Cd and Pb on earlier stage of the commercially important scallop (Argopecten purpuratus) in the contamination context of Northern Chile where this specie is farmed, through acute exposure bioassays in embryo-larvae measuring cumulative abnormality (EC50) and juvenile cumulative mortality (LC50) as endpoints, based on environmentally detected concentrations and available toxicological data from similar species. Embryo-larvae exposure indicates 48 h EC50 of 1.55 mg/L Cd, and 0.044 mg/L Pb. On the contrary, 96 h LC50 in juvenile scallops was 0.48 mg/L Cd and 1.47 mg/L Pb. Our results demonstrated differential toxicity between embryo and juvenile scallops that might relate to different primary defense mechanisms or effect in morphological development of individuals in each ontogenetic stage. Compared to similar bivalve metal toxicity tests, this study demonstrated that A. purpuratus embryos are more sensitive to Pb than most other bivalve species. Our results indicate that maximum permitted levels of Pb in marine waters and estuaries (according to Chilean regulation) could pose a risk for scallops' first stage of life (embryo-larvae) development, and needs to be reviewed. Furthermore, Chilean environmental regulations do not have quality standards for marine sediments (currently under discussion), where high levels of metals have been continuously reported.

Latin American protected areas: Protected from chemical pollution?

Protected areas (PAs) are critically important means to preserve species and maintain natural ecosystems. However, the potential impacts of chemical pollution on PAs are seldom mentioned in the scientific literature. Research on the extent of the occurrence of chemical pollution inside PAs and in-depth assessments of how chemical contaminants may adversely affect the maintenance of species abundance, species survival, and ecosystem functions are scarce to nonexistent. We investigated 1) the occurrence of chemical contaminants inside 119 PAs in Latin America from publically available databases, and 2) reviewed case studies of chemical contaminants and pollution in 4 Latin American PAs. Cases of chemical pollution and contamination inside Latin American PAs mostly originated from sources such as mining, oil, and gas extraction. To date, the focus of the research on chemical pollution research inside Latin American PAs has been primarily on the detection of contamination, typically limited to trace metals. Where management actions have occurred, they have been reactive rather than proactive. Protected areas established in wetlands are the most affected by chemical pollution. Based on the information from the pollution and/or contamination occurrence and the case studies analyzed, Latin American PAs are not well safeguarded from chemical pollution, resulting in both challenges and opportunities to conserve biodiversity and ecosystems. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:360-370. © 2016 SETAC.

Assessment of trace metals and porphyrins in excreta of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) in different locations of the northern coast of Chile.

To add data on trace metal contamination of Humboldt penguins in the South Pacific, levels of trace metals (As, Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd) and porphyrins (copro-, uro-, and proto-) in excreta of Humboldt penguins that inhabit some important nesting sites on the northern coast of Chile were determined. Fresh excreta were collected on Pan de Azúcar Island, Chañaral Island, and Cachagua Island, from December 2011 to January 2012. Concentration of metals was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, whereas porphyrins levels were measured by fluorimetric analysis. Concentrations (dry weight) of Cu (199.67 µg g(-1)), As (7.85 µg g(-1)), and Pb (12.78 µg g(-1)) were higher (p ≤ 0.05) in Cachagua Island. Colonies from Pan de Azúcar Island showed the highest levels of Hg (0.76 µg g(-1)), Cd (47.70 µg g(-1)), and Zn (487.10 µg g(-1)). Samples from Cachagua Island showed the highest (p ≤ 0.05) levels of copro- (2.16 nmol g(-1)), uro- (2.20 nmol g(-1)), and protoporphyrins (2.23 nmol g(-1)). There was a positive correlation between the metals As, Pb, and Cu with uro-, copro-, and protoporphyrins. The results indicated that penguin colonies from Cachagua Island are more exposed to metal contamination than penguin colonies from Pan de Azúcar and Chañaral Islands, thus being more likely to develop certain diseases caused by contamination with metals. Considering biomagnification, the metals detected in the excreta of Humboldt penguins can be a source of contamination from marine environments to terrestrial ecosystems, which could also affect other living organisms.