Borriello, Lucrezia (2025) Biomonitoring of environmental pollutants and of the mitigating activity of their effects through compounds derived from food waste. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Ineffective waste management represents one of the most critical environmental challenges of the contemporary era. When waste is not adequately collected, separated, treated, or disposed of, it generates numerous adverse effects, including soil and groundwater contamination, greenhouse gas emissions, and the loss of valuable secondary resources. Inefficiencies in waste management systems increase the probability that hazardous or polluting materials enter natural ecosystems, compromising soil, water, and air quality. For instance, non-compliant or non-waterproofed landfills release leachates rich in heavy metals and toxic organic compounds, contaminating aquifers, while illegal waste combustion emits dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), persistent, bioaccumulative, and carcinogenic substances, into the atmosphere. Concurrently, the massive production and improper disposal of plastics have led to the global emergence of microplastics (MPs), plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm originating from the degradation of macroplastics or from the direct release of synthetic particles such as microbeads and fibers. Due to their ubiquity, persistence, and high surface reactivity, MPs accumulate in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, sediments, and living organisms, acting as vectors for chemical contaminants and inducing direct toxic effects on biota. Their widespread occurrence has now been documented in all environmental compartments, from polar ice to marine sediments. MPs can disrupt biological cycles, interfere with photosynthetic activity in phytoplankton, alter soil structure and fertility, and bioaccumulate along trophic networks, ultimately reaching humans through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Recent evidence has demonstrated the presence of microplastic particles in fish, shellfish, sea salt, honey, and drinking water, as well as in human blood and placental tissue, highlighting potential toxicological risks that remain only partially understood. Moreover, the chemical additives released from plastics, including bisphenols, phthalates, and stabilizers, exhibit endocrine-disrupting, immunotoxic, and pro-inflammatory properties, with chronic exposure potentially contributing to metabolic, reproductive, and neurological disorders. In this context, environmental biomonitoring emerges as an indispensable tool for detecting, quantifying, and assessing the effects of pollution on ecosystems and human health. The use of bioindicator organisms (e.g., Apis mellifera, Mytilus galloprovincialis) and environmental matrices (soil, water, air) enables the identification of contamination patterns and the evaluation of the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of pollutants. However, the current lack of standardized protocols for microplastic sampling and analysis remains a significant limitation. Overall, biomonitoring provides essential scientific evidence to guide environmental prevention, mitigation, and policy strategies. The integration of bioindicator-based approaches within waste and pollution management frameworks is therefore crucial to quantify ecological impacts, monitor contaminant bioaccumulation, and safeguard both ecosystem integrity and public health.

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