Chapters authored
Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Bizerte Lagoon Ecosystem: Occurrence, Distribution, and Ecotoxicological Assessment Using Marine Organism
Marine ecosystem represents an ecologically and economically important water bodies for human and animal living. Their increasing pollution by persistent organic pollutants has represented a major environmental alarm during the last years. In the current study, we examined the occurrence, local distribution and ecotoxicological menace of organic pollutants, comprising brominated flame retardants (BFR), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in different matrices from the Northern Tunisian Coastal Ecosystem (Bizerte lagoon). The pollutant existence in this biome is related with a negative impact on the biocenosis health. Many approach including (i) chemical analyses; (ii) taxonomic structure and ecological indices analyses; (iii) and biochemical experimental studies, were investigated to determine the ecosystem quality and the contaminant effects. Our chapter introduces the baseline information on the organic contaminations extent and toxicological impact, as well as, it contribute to evaluate the ecological quality of this marine coastal ecosystem.
Part of the book: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Marine Free-Living Nematodes as Tools for Environmental Pollution Assessment: A Special Focus on Emerging Contaminants Impact in the Tunisian Lagoon Ecosystems
Coastal ecosystems are exposed to pollution by various contaminants due to several anthropogenic activities. Numerous pollutants, such as pesticides, drugs, metals, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and Microplastics (MPs), transported in the water column tend to persist in the sediments. Among the Tunisian coastal areas, the Bizerte and Ghar El Melh lagoons are exposed to several pollutants resulting from different activities, such as agriculture, urbanization, and industrialization. Consequently, sediments are intensely dirtied by a wide range of pollutants. Due to their relatively short life cycles and high turnover rates, free-living nematodes reacted quickly to environmental changes. This most dominant meiobenthic taxon, has been mainly exploited as indicator of disturbance because of its ubiquity, high abundance, and taxonomic diversity. In this current chapter, we cited the different environmental pollutants effects and show the importance of nematodes as bio-indicator species in environmental monitoring.
Part of the book: The Toxicity of Environmental Pollutants