Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a new Collection titled “Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Pollutants and Climate Change, Runoff, Behaviour and Adverse Effects in Aquatic Ecosystems”.

This Special Issue will describe the sources, inputs, adverse effects and accumulation of pollutants found in aquatic ecosystems and organisms. Additionally, it will focus on defining the route of metabolites, whether through decomposition or accumulation, and their behavior to enhance the knowledge on the effects of aquatic ecosystem pollutants and their fate, including their mobility through the food chain, eventually reaching humans. The research results included will offer insights into the pollutant load in the sea, identifying the contribution of rivers, rainfall, etc., and the impact on marine organisms. We aim to increase knowledge on the pollution of aquatic ecosystems, the resilience of marine organisms to pollutants and their contamination, highlighting also adverse climate-change-related effects.

In addition, papers detailing new approaches and technologies designed to combat pollution and climate change’s effects on aquatic ecosystems are welcome.

Some topics of interest to be covered by the Special Issue include:

• Implications of anthropogenic effects on aquatic ecosystems;
• How climate changes modify surface water regimes and the runoff of contaminants into the sea;
• Adverse effects of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems on the environmental matrix and organisms;
• The influence of climate change on the seasonal behavior of pollutants;
• Decontamination of industrial or contaminated waters as sources of pollution in aquatic ecosystems;
• Water bodies and transitional waters;
• Estuarine pollution and its influence on seawater contamination;
• Preventing climate-change-related desalinization and brine production in sources of water;
• Fecal pollution contamination during and after rainfall events;
• Pollutants and human health risk assessment;
• Emerging climate-change-related contaminants and their effects on aquatic ecosystems;
• CO₂ acidification and its impact as a consequence of global warming;
• Water supplies under conditions of scarcity, and impacts of desalinization and brine.

The aim of this Collection is to provide a venue for networking and communication between Applied Sciences and scholars in the field of environmental sciences. We hope to establish a collection of papers that will be of interest to scholars in the field. Contributions in the form of full papers, reviews, and communications about related topics are very welcome.

Dr. Mauro Marini
Prof. Dr. Angel DelValls
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2300 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• anthropization
• water chemistry
• water and sediment ecotoxicology
• water runoff
• climate changes’ effects
• cloudburst
• fish contaminants
• torrential rain
• CO₂ acidification
• weight-of-evidence approaches
• contamination and pollution
• sediment pollution
• dredged material and rare earth element mining
• desalinization and brine mining
• emerging contaminants
• circular economy
• European green deal
• sustainable development goals

Title: Shell organic matrix (conchix) of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis L. as the medium for assessment of trace metals in the Boka Kotorska Bay
Authors: Rajko Martinović; Danijela Joksimović; Ana Perošević-Bajčeta; Ivana Čabarkapa; Hermann Ehrlich
Affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, Put I Bokeljske Brigade 68, 85330 Kotor, Montenegro
Abstract: The content of following trace metals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cd and Hg) in the four media: soft tissues, shells and in the products of shell demineralization (organic matrix - conchix and extract) of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovicilais L. at three sites in the Boka Kotorska Bay – Adriatic Sea were determined. The main aim was to investigate the accumulation patterns of trace metals in conchix and possible relationship with other media tested. Conchix weight within a group of mussels from Sv. Nedjelja was significantly higher in comparison with IMB while conchix % in the shell showed negative correlation with dry shell weight. The highest MPI values found in the soft tissues of mussels from Sv. Nedjelja, Cogi and IMB were 2.319, 2.711 and 2.929 µg g-1, respectively. PCA analysis showed similarities in trace metals accumulation in all media except conchix. According to CCA analysis, conchixes are grouped around Cu, Fe and Hg while Cd and Zn were in correlation with the soft tissues. Moreover, the shells were in correlation with Mn. Simple isolation with high yield, close contact to the environment in comparison with calcified shell layers, susceptibility to possible pollution sources due to accumulation of specific metals are the main reasons to consider conchix of M. galloprovincialis as a medium with the potential in trace metal assessment of the marine ecosystem.

Title: Application of Positive Matrix Factorization – PMF for source apportionment of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - PAH in Adriatic Sea and evaluation of PAH related carcinogenic risk
Authors: Jelena Mandić; Jere Veža; Grozdan Kušpilić
Affiliation: Institute of oceanography and Fisheries, Laboratory for Chemical Oceanography and Sedimentology of the Sea, Split, Croatia
Abstract: The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in 36 sediment samples collected from 29 sites in the central Adriatic Sea were used to identify the main PAH sources and also to assess PAH related carcinogenic risk in the Adriatic Sea. The PAH sources were assigned by applying the positive matrix factorization model developed by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States - USEPA. The results indicate the presence of four PAH sources, two of which can be considered petrogenic and two pyrogenic. One pyrogenic source resembles PAH mixtures formed during the combustion of gasoline and diesel fuel, while the other pyrogenic source resembles PAH mixtures generated during the high temperature combustion of crude fossil fuels. One petrogenic sources can be ascribed to accidental spillage of petroleum products and/or recent spillage of fossil fuels while the other petrogenic source resembles composition of weathered pollution. Source contributions indicate the dominance of pyrogenic sources in the Sibenik Bay and most of the stations in the coastal area. In the sediments along the Middle Adriatic transect as well as in Kastela Bay, PAHs were predominantly from petrogenic sources. The obtained results show that PMF modeling can be a suitable tool for the control of pollution in the Adriatic Sea (PAH) and consequently it is suitable for the management of different activities in the Adriatic region. Seasonal differences between source contributions in Kastela and Sibenik bays revealed indicate that transport contributions, both inland and marine, to the total concentration of PAH were higher during the tourist season. PAH related carcinogenic risk determined by calculations of toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) showed increased carcinogenic risk in the whole Šibenik Bay area, regardless of the number of PAH compounds considered for the calculations. A low PAH -related carcinogenic risk was found for the rest of the studied area.

Title: Adiabatic Sonic Evaporation and Crytallization (ASE&C) Zero Liquid Discharge System: II Industrial Waters Purification In the Textile Sector
Authors: Dr. Julian Blasco
Affiliation: Department of Ecology and Coastal Management, Institute of Marine Sciences of Andalusia (ICMAN - CSIC). Campus Universitario Río San Pedro, 11519, Puerto Real, Spain

Title: Adiabatic Sonic Evaporation and Crytallization (ASE&C) zero liquid discharge system: I brine purification and mining in desalinization.
Authors: Dr Sebastián Vera
Affiliation: Department of Science and Technology, Water Challenge S.L., Avda. Papa Negro, 28043 Madrid, Spain

Title: Title: Assesment of trace metals accumulation and oxidative stress biomarkers responseof the portunid Portunus segnis
Authors: Amel Dghim; Walid Ben Ameur; Ali Annabi
Affiliation: Faculté des sciences de gabes université de gabes Tunisie
Abstract: The invasive blue crab P. segnis collected from two sites belonging to the Gulf of Gabès was the subject of this work. This study is based on the demonstration of the accumulating capacity of P. segnis via the determination of Cadmium, Zinc, Lead and Copper in gills and hepatopancreas. The enzymatic activity of catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation were conducted for the first time in this area. The main results showedhigh potential of metal bioaacumulation in P. segnis tissues between localities.Seeing the potential adaptation of the P. segnis in the Gulf of Gabes and the variations in the studied biomarkers as well as metals levels according with locality, confirm the utility of the invasive blue crab as a sentinel species.

Title: The role of sediment records in environmental forensic studies: two examples from Italy of research approaches developed to address responsibilities and management options
Authors: Luca Giorgio Bellucci; Silvia Giuliani
Affiliation: Institute of Marine Science
Abstract: The coupling of scientific evidence from sediment cores with historical information represents an effective way to reconstruct and quantify recent anthropogenic impacts in transitional and marine-coastal areas, both key points pertaining to studies that aim at establishing the responsibility for environmental pollution. Good practices for the selection of sampling sites and specific survey techniques are fundamental to understand pollution histories and dynamics, together with reliable dating methods and analytical procedures. In addition, a certain degree of flexibility and willingness to explore different research pathways is necessary when unexpected questions arise from scientific data or from requests posed by authorities in charge of preliminary investigations or Court debates. In this paper, two different study cases are reviewed, and the approaches developed to tackle with specific issues are presented. Its main purposes are either to present study paths undertaken to answer challenging scientific-legal questions and to provide examples for developing countries that present similar risks of uncontrolled industrialization. Results were used in preliminary investigations or Court debates for the attribution of responsibility for environmental pollution to past or present industrial managements. In addition, they were fundamental for other studies aiming at implementing models that simulate the fate and distribution of contaminants and human exposure. In the Augusta Harbor, an integrated approach, merging archive information, bathymetry, high-resolution seismic profiles, and the use of an independent tracer (HexaChloroBenzene, HCB), helped attribute the presence of high surficial Hg concentrations to resuspension and redistribution of deep sediments caused by dredging and maritime traffic and not to active outfalls. In the Venice Lagoon, an extensive literature search supported analytical results for the correct identification of industrial processes responsible for the contamination by Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and Furans (PCDD/Fs) in the canals of the Porto Marghera Industrial Area. Besides, sedimentary profiles of PCDD/Fs in local salt marshes (“barene”) recorded well the events relative to the industrial development and management of the area reported by historical documents, confirming their potential for this kind of investigation.

Title: Degradation of compostable plastic shopping bags in the marine environment: a FTIR and IRMS study
Authors: Federico Rampazzo*, Nicoletta Calace§, Malgorzata Formalewicz*, Seta Noventa*, Claudia Gion*, Lucia Bongiorni^ , Amelia DeLazzari^, Valerio Causin°, Daniela Berto*
Affiliation: * ISPRA CHIOGGIA § ISPRA Roma °Università di Padova, Dipartimento di scienze Chimiche ^ CNR ISMAR

Title: Integrated assessment of CO2-induced acidification lethal and sub-lethal effects on tropical mussels Perna perna
Authors: Lorena da Silva Souza; Estefania Bonnail; Augusto Cesar; Inmaculada Riba; Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira
Affiliation: University of Cádiz
Abstract: Leakages of CO2 capture and storage systems from seabed are able to cause significant adverse biological effects in marine species. Adult mussels were exposed to different CO2 enrichment scenarios (pH from 8.3 to 6.0) for 96 h, and endpoints (lysosomal membrane deterioration, lipid peroxidation and primary damages in DNA) were assessed. Mortality and reduced health status can occur after short exposure of the tropical mussel Perna perna at pH levels lower than 7.5. Results pointed out cytogenotoxic effects in hemolymph and gills after 48 and 96 h of exposure, respectively. These findings should be considered when environmental monitoring approaches are performed in tropical marine areas employing CCS strategies. .