Currently, thanks to the development of sensitive analytical techniques, the presence of different emerging pollutants in aquatic ecosystems has been evidenced; however, most of them have not been submitted to any regulation so far. Among emerging contaminants, antimicrobials have received particular attention in recent decades, mainly due to the concerning development of antibiotic resistance observed in bacteria, but little is known about the toxicological and ecological impact that antimicrobials can have on aquatic ecosystems. Their high consumption in human and veterinary medicine, food-producing animals and aquaculture, as well as persistence and poor absorption have caused antimicrobials to be discharged into receiving waters, with or without prior treatment, where they have been detected at ng-mg L⁻¹ levels with the potential to cause effects on the various organisms living within aquatic systems. This review presents the current knowledge on the occurrence of antimicrobials in aquatic ecosystems, emphasizing their occurrence in different environmental matrixes and the effects on aquatic organisms (cyanobacteria, microalgae, invertebrates and vertebrates).

Ultraviolet filters (UV-filters) are compounds extensively used in personal care products. These compounds are produced at increasing rates and discharged into marine ecosystems in unknown quantities and with no regulation, making them emerging contaminants. Among those, the UV-filter 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) is used in a variety of personal care products such as sunscreens, soaps, or lipsticks. This high consumption has resulted in its presence in various environmental matrices at in concentrations ranging from ng to μg L^-1. Very little is known, however, about the possible adverse effects in exposed non-target organisms. Our study presents novel data on the bioconcentration, toxicokinetics, and molecular effects of 4-MBC in a marine bivalve species of commercial interest, Ruditapes philippinarum (Manila clam). Organisms were exposed at two different concentrations (1.34 and 10.79 μg L^-1) of 4-MBC for 7 days, followed by a 3-day depuration period (clean sea waters). Bioconcentration factors (BCF) were 3562 and 2229 L kg^-1 for the low and high exposure concentrations, respectively, making this pollutant bioaccumulative according to REACH criteria. Up to six 4-MBC biotransformation products (BTPs)were identified, 2 of them for the first time. Transcriptomic analysis revealed between 658 and 1310 differently expressed genes (DEGs) after 4-MBC exposure. Functional and enrichment analysis of the DEGs showed the activation of the detoxification pathway to metabolize and excrete the bioconcentrated 4-MBC, which also involved energy depletion and caused an impact on the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids and in the oxidative phosphorylation pathways. Oxidative stress and immune response were also evidenced through the activation of cathepsins and the complement system. Such elucidation of the mode of action of a ubiquitous pollutant such as 4-MBC at the molecular level is valuable both from an environmental point of view and for the sustainable production of Manila clam, one of the most cultivated mollusk species worldwide.

Antibiotics, frequently detected in aquatic ecosystems, can negatively impact the health of resident organisms. Although the study on the possible effects of antibiotics on these organisms has been increasing, there is still little information available on the molecular effects on exposed non-target organisms. In our study we used a label free proteomic approach and sea bream, Sparus aurata, to evaluate the effects of exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of the antibiotic compounds ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfadiazine (SULF) and trimethoprim (TRIM) produced at the protein level. Individuals of sea bream were exposed to single compounds at 5.2 ± 2.1 μg L^-1 of CIP, 3.8 ± 2.7 μg L^-1 of SULF and 25.7 ± 10.8 μg L^-1 of TRIM for 21 days. After exposure, the number of differentially expressed proteins in the liver was 39, 73 and 4 for CIP, SULF and TRIM respectively. In the brain, there was no alteration of proteins after CIP and TRIM treatment, while 9 proteins were impacted after SULF treatment. The differentially expressed proteins were involved in cellular biological, metabolic, developmental, growth and biological regulatory processes. Overall, our study evidences the vulnerability of Sparus aurata, after exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of the major antibiotics CIP, SULF and TRIM and that their chronic exposure could lead to a stress situation, altering the proteomic profile of key organs such as brain and liver.

Systematic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease increasingly prevalent in the aging population. AD is characterized by pathological features such as β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque accumulation, tau neurofibrillary tangles formation, oxidative stress, an impaired cholinergic system, and neuroinflammation. Many therapeutic drugs have been developed to slow the progression of AD by targeting these pathological mechanisms. However, synthetic drugs, such as donepezil and memantine, can often lead to side effects. In this context, seaweeds have been drawing attention as a nutrient source and a potential source of health-improving metabolites. Studies have shown that extracts from brown macroalgae can potentially reduce the inflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine expression. Furthermore, their bioactive compounds exhibit antioxidant properties vital in combating oxidative stress. Antioxidants, mainly carotenoids and phenolic compounds, have been linked to improved cognitive function and a reduced risk of neurodegenerative disorders by protecting neuronal cells through their ability to scavenge free radicals. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids found in certain macroalgae have the potential to support brain health and cognitive function, further enhancing their neuroprotective effects. In conclusion, this review has comprehensively evaluated the research conducted on brown macroalgae in the last five years, covering their potential bioactive compounds, methods of obtaining these compounds, and their neuroprotective properties against AD. The limited number of clinical studies in the literature highlights the need for further research. This narrative review provides a basic framework for new approaches to neuroprotective strategies, such as those associated with brown macroalgae natural resources. Furthermore, they may play an increasingly important role in developing functional foods and nutraceuticals that can support human health in preventing and managing neurodegenerative diseases.

Dietary assessment is affected by recall, reporting, portion-size error, and food-composition inconsistencies. Hypaphorine, a tryptophan-derived betaine alkaloid found in pulses and other foods, has been proposed as a marker of legume exposure, but its performance in free-living populations remains uncertain. In this cross-sectional study of 138 adults, dietary intake was assessed by food-frequency questionnaire, and legume intake was represented by an FFQ-derived variable within the EAT-Lancet food-group framework. Urinary hypaphorine was quantified by targeted hydrophilic-interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Associations were examined using Spearman correlations and multivariable linear models with HC3 robust standard errors. Predictive performance was assessed using repeated 10-fold cross-validation. Hypaphorine correlated with legume intake (ρ = 0.240; p = 0.0047). After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, energy intake, and log10-transformed urinary creatinine signal, each 10 g/day increment in legume intake was associated with 19.1% higher hypaphorine (95% CI, 7.2–32.2%; p = 0.0014). Estimation of the FFQ-derived legume-intake variable was limited (cross-validated R² = 0.061), whereas discrimination between intake above and at or below the sample median was modest (AUC = 0.653). In the exploratory clinical screen, the inverse correlation with leukocyte count did not remain below the 0.05 FDR threshold (q = 0.090). A focused adjusted model yielded an inverse association (β = −1.38 × 10³/µL; p = 0.030), but exclusion of the most influential observation attenuated statistical support (p = 0.061). Urinary hypaphorine may provide modest information for ranking FFQ-derived legume exposure but should not be considered a quantitative measure of individual intake without further validation.