Here, we report the industrial pollution effects studies as it pertains to cadmium on the reproductive health of Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussels were removed from the biofouling of Conatex pannel after one year of exposition in a polluted site close to a disposal metallurgical factory. In testis of mussels housed in the polluted site, was observed, respect to a reference control site, a high cadmium bioaccumulation by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and a 10 fold increase metallothionein 20 kDa gene (mt20) expression levels, by qPCR. Furthermore, mussels transferred in laboratory tanks from the reference site and exposed to 1.5, 5 and 10 µM CdCl2 revealed 1.7; 3.2 and 4.5 fold testis mt20 expression increase respectively and a positive correlation with cadmium bioaccumulation. To evaluate the potential detrimental risk of such alterations on spermatozoa we carried out electrophoretic analyses on their protamine-like proteins. Protamine-like proteins from the polluted biofouling resulted all in aggregated form and showed by EMSA, the same decreased DNA binding ability of protamine-like proteins obtained from mussels exposed in laboratory tank to CdCl2. Our results contribute to the studies concerning cadmium induced testis alterations and highlight protamine-like proteins analyses as emerging biotechnique for cadmium impact assessment on Mytilus galloprovincialis for the sensibility of changes in vivo and in vitro of protamine-like proteins state and their DNA binding affinity.

Shallow aquifers are vulnerable to natural geogenic processes as well as anthropogenic influences, and this is especially apparent in desert regions. Within arid and hyperarid climates, evaporation is a controlling hydrologic process leads to an important increase in the concentration of dissolved minerals of both surface water and groundwater. In groundwater, this increase is not only dependent on shallow water table depth, but also on the hydraulic properties of sediments present within the unsaturated zone of the aquifer itself. The main objective of this research is to investigate possible mechanisms that might influence water quality changes under seasonal conditions in shallow aquifers situated within the Saharan desert region of Algeria. In this work, we focus on observed changes in hydrogeochemical characteristics, and the possible responsible processes. Under arid conditions, high water mineralization results in hypersaline water or brine solution formation within shallow aquifers. Due to active physico-chemical mechanisms such as Na⁺/Ca²⁺ ion exchange, the successive precipitation of calcite, gypsum, mirabilite or blœdite and halite is induced. Biological processes were also observed as prevalent; evidenced by large measured variations in CO₂ load concentrations. These processes contributed to an inverse relationship between CO₂ and O₂ concentrations within the shallow aquifers studied.

Lagoons play an important socio-economic role and represent a precious natural heritage at risk from fishing pressure and chemical and biological pollution. Our research focused on better understanding the discrimination of fish biodiversity, the detection of non-indigenous species, and the valorization of commercial indigenous species at Mellah lagoon (Algeria). Taxonomic characterization and barcoding for all fish species and Inkscape schematic drawings for the most common species are provided. A total of 20 families and 37 species were recorded. The thermophilic species Coris julis, Thalassoma pavo, and Aphanius fasciatus and tropical species such as Gambusia holbrooki and Parablennius pilicornis were identified. Numerous Mediterranean species of socio-economic importance are highlighted, and detailed information is summarized for the lagoon’s sustainability. This short-term evaluation goes hand in hand with long-term programs documenting the interaction between indigenous and non-indigenous species in the lagoon and will allow the development of a provisional relationship model for future studies. Thermophilic and tropical species patterns in the Mellah lagoon are presented. Taken together, we provide useful data that can guide future investigations and may become a potential management tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and protecting species with large socio-economic roles from potential thermal stress impact.