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Trace and rare earth elements in phytoplankton from the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy)

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Abstract

Plankton plays a very crucial role in bioaccumulation and transfer of metals in the marine food web and represents a suitable bioindicator of the occurrence of trace and rare earth elements in the ecosystem. Trace elements and REEs were analyzed by ICP-MS in phytoplankton samples from the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Metal concentrations in phytoplankton were found strongly influenced by seasons and depth of collection (− 30 m, − 50 m). Principal component analysis (PCA) has shown that Al, As, Cr, Cu, Ga, and Sn concentrations were related to summer and autumn in samples collected at 30 m depth, while Fe, Mn, Ni, V, and Zn levels related strongly with summer and spring at 50 m depth. Fe, Al, and Zn were the most represented elements in all samples (mean values respectively in the ranges 4.2–8.2, 9.6–13, and 1.0–4.4 mg kg−1) according to their widespread presence in the environment and in the earth crust. Principal component analysis (PCA) performed on REEs showed that mostly all lanthanides’ concentrations strongly correlate with summer and autumn seasons (− 30 m depth); the highest ∑REE concentration (75 µg kg−1) was found in winter. Phytoplankton REE normalized profile was comparable to those of other marine biota collected in the same area according to the suitability of lanthanides as geological tracers.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on request.

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Acknowledgements

Authors greatly appreciate the contribution of the anonymous reviewers to improve the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the Italian Health Ministry Research Grants (Project n. IZS PLV 20/16 RC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy

    Ermelinda del Buono, Nicola Nurra, Rocco Mussat Sartor, Marco Battuello & Livio Favaro

  2. Pelagosphera, Marine Environmental Services Cooperative, Via Umberto Cosmo 17/Bis, 10131, Turin, Italy

    Nicola Nurra, Rocco Mussat Sartor & Marco Battuello

  3. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy

    Giovanna Berti, Alessandra Griglione, Andrea Trossi, Rosa Avolio, Maria Cesarina Abete & Stefania Squadrone

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  1. Ermelinda del Buono
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Sampling planning and sample collections were the responsibility of NN, RMS, and MB. Examination and data collection were performed by AG, RA, and E del B. Methodology optimization and chemical analysis were performed by AG and GB. Statistical evaluation was the responsibility of AT and SS. The first draft of the manuscript was written by E del B, LF, NN, and SS. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript. Review and editing of the final manuscript was performed by SS and MCA. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Stefania Squadrone.

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del Buono, E., Nurra, N., Sartor, R.M. et al. Trace and rare earth elements in phytoplankton from the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy). Environ Monit Assess 196, 399 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12552-y

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