Silvia Bartolacci

Background As part of the INSINERGIA national project, funded under the National Complementary Plan – “Health, Environment, Biodiversity and Climate” Program, a human biomonitoring study has been launched in several Sites of National Interest (SINs) for environmental remediation. Human biomonitoring represents a key tool for public health and prevention tool, allowing the measurement of environmental contaminants or their metabolites in biological matrices and providing an integrated and directed assessment of individual exposure from multiple sources and pathways. Among the SINs involved the site in Falconara Marittima (Ancona, Italy) is of particular relevance due to its long-standing industrial activities and the potential risk of environmental contamination associated with the sources of pressure present in the area. Objectives The study aims to assess exposure to environmental contaminants among residents of the municipality of Falconara Marittima, an area included within the SIN. Methods This is a national multicenter cross-sectional study with a low level of intervention. The project involves 13 SINs across 9 Italian regions and plans to recruit approximately 2,600 participants, about 200 subjects for each operational unit. Eligible subjects are adults aged 20–50 years who have continuously resided in the study area for at least five years. Individuals with occupational exposure to the contaminants under investigation and those unable to provide informed participation will be excluded. For the Falconara Marittima SIN, the population was classified according to environmental exposure levels using a threshold derived from a PM10dispersion model based on pollutant iso-concentration estimates. A balanced stratified random sampling was implemented, with strata defined by sex (male/female), age group (20–34 and 35–50 years), and environmental exposure level (high/low), using data from the regional healthcare beneficiary’s database. To account for expected non-response, additional subjects were randomly selected within each stratum. Data collection will include questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and environmental risk perception. Clinical and anamnestic information, anthropometric and vital parameters, and blood and urine samples will also be collected. Laboratory analyses will include biomarkers of exposure, such as heavy metals, aromatic and aliphatic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Biomarkers of effect, including inflammatory cytokines and biochemical-clinical indicators (hematological, metabolic, and endocrine profiles), as well as genetic susceptibility biomarkers (single nucleotide polymorphisms), will also be evaluated. Descriptive and appropriate group comparison tests will be used to evaluate differences in exposure levels and biological indicators. Associations between exposure and effect biomarkers will be assessed using generalized linear models (GLMs) adjusted for potential confounders, including age, sex, smoking status and other covariates. Results The study is currently in the implementation phase. The organizational framework, site logistics, and biological sample management procedures have been established. Data collection is scheduled for June–July 2026. Conclusion The study represents the first integrated human biomonitoring model in the field of environmental-health of this complexity and scope to be developed in the Marche Region. The study is expected to provide valuable evidence for exposure assessment and support the planning of public health interventions in environmentally contaminated areas.

The research arises from the interest in investigating the pollen contained in the various honey samples analyzed to identify its geographical and botanical origin and to evaluate its allergenic potential. With the Louveaux method, the pollen content shall be observed under a microscope using the same procedure as the aerobiological analysis described in national and European standards. From the microscopic observation of the pollen grains, it is possible to identify the plants that produced them, thus going back to a particular type of vegetation that distinguishes the production area. The percentage values for pollen of nectariferous plants identified have been calculated to establish frequency classes and dominant species. Starting from an exploratory analysis, the results obtained with melissopalynology provide assessments that, combined with sensory and physical analysis, represent a useful control tool to address the growing trend of food fraud as an element of consumer choice. By comparing the percentages of the pollen taxa contained in the honey analyzed with those reported in the characterization cards, it was possible to verify the conformity to the declared botanical origin. The samples were analyzed in duplicate to reduce operator uncertainty and to ensure the identification of the largest number of species/families present and the recognition of botanical families. The results provided a clear picture of a first assessment of the conformity of the reference values; in general, most of the samples examined, both those taken on the market and those of local producers, are in line with the data obtained. Bibliographical research on cross allergies related to the presence of pollen in honey has established that allergic forms to honey are still a rare condition and the incidence does not exceed 0.001%. Studying the few reported cases worldwide, it is difficult to say that pollen proteins are the only and directly responsible for the allergic manifestations that follow the ingestion of honey; however, if we wanted to attribute the responsibility, we could refer in particular to Compositae pollens, such as mugwort, ragweed, and dandelion. This work, while identifying many possible triggers for allergic reactions, has detected a very low number of cases of ingestion of honey; therefore, the study can be a starting point to investigate the allergenic potential.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) arises mostly because of the use and abuse of antibiotics in both the human and veterinary sectors. Furthermore, antibiotic residues can be discharged into the environment, promoting the spread of AMR as well as becoming a potential ecotoxicological risk. Aquaculture is one such source of environmental pollution. In the present work, we evaluated the correlation between antibiotic consumption in 11 selected aquafarms located along the Nera River, and the detection of their residues in surface water and sediment samples gathered monthly from the same stream. Antibiotic consumption was calculated using the ESVAC defined daily doses for animals (DDDvet) method, and a chemical analysis was conducted using a multiclass method. Therefore, the ecological risk of antibiotics being detected in surface waters was established based on the risk quotient (RQ). A strong positive correlation was identified between the concentrations detected in surface waters and the consumption of flumequine (r = 72%, p-value = 0.0085) and florfenicol (r = 83%, p-value = 0.0008). The RQ, however, was low for all the detected antibiotics in surface waters. Therefore, we proved that the antibiotics used in aquaculture can reach the near aquatic environment, but, in this work, they did not represent a toxicological risk to the surrounding ecosystem.