The consumption of marine fishes has a positive effect on a consumer’s health; however, it poses a potential risk due to their level of heavy metals in their body. Heavy metals can be naturally found in the environment, but their concentration can be increased with anthropogenic activities. Samples of tuna (Thunnus albacares) were collected at a fishery market. The potentially toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) were determined with a validated method in the flesh of fish using inductively plasma optical emission spectrometry after microwave digestion. Generally, the average concentration of them was below the official limit values regulated by the European Union, except for lead. Based on the concentrations of arsenic (inorganic derivates: 0.05 ± 0.02 mg/kg) and cadmium (0.03 ± 0.01 mg/kg) in the tuna fish samples, and their calculated EDI values (As: 0.03–0.09 µg/kg/day; Cd: 0.05–0.07 µg/kg/day), the investigated food could be declared safe for human consumption. Generally, mercury content was below the official regulated limit, and the calculated EDI value was below the dietary reference value (0.3 μg/kg/day) in most of the samples (90%), exceeding it only in two samples (0.69 and 0.82 μg/kg/day); thus, they may not be harmful to the consumer. The concentration of lead above the official maximum limit (0.30 mg/kg) in 40% of tuna samples (0.30–1.59 mg/kg), as well as the exceeding of the dietary reference value for lead (adult: 0.16 μg/kg/day; children: 0.26 μg/kg/day) based on the calculated EDI values (0.28–1.49 μg/kg/day), draw attention to the importance of environmental pollution and the protection of consumers’ health.

Agricultural areas can provide sources of food and hiding and nesting places for wild birds. Thus, the chemical load of potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cu, Pb) due to industrial and agricultural activities can affect not only the adult birds but also the embryos developing in the egg. The toxic effects of heavy metals applied alone were investigated on chicken embryos in the early and late stages of embryonic development using injection and immersion treatment methods. On day 3 of incubation, permanent preparations were made from the embryos to study the early development stage. There were no significant differences observed in embryo deaths and developmental abnormalities in this stage. On day 19 of incubation, the number of embryonic deaths, the body weight of the embryos, and the type of developmental abnormalities were examined. The embryonic mortality was statistically higher in the groups treated with cadmium and lead in the case of the injection treatment. A significant increase in developmental disorders was observed in the copper-treated group using the immersion application. The body weight significantly decreased in the cadmium- and lead-treated group using both treatment methods. However, a significant change in the body weight in the copper-treated group was only realized due to the injection method.

Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) is a versatile term which includes heavy metals, non-metals and even essential elements, that pose significant environmental and health risks to humans, animals, and plants. Bioindicator species, particularly birds, are valuable tools for monitoring PTEs contamination in ecosystems, offering insights into pollutant levels and their ecological impacts. Birds, as top predators with extensive mobility, absorb contaminants across large areas, making them effective bioindicators in freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands. This study reviews recent research (2014-2024) on the use of birds for biomonitoring of PTEs, focusing on their behavior, feeding habits, and migration patterns, which influence contamination accumulation. Key findings indicate that bird species’ diet, residency, and foraging behavior significantly affect PTEs bioaccumulation, with migratory species showing higher metal concentrations. Different sample types, including feathers, blood, and excrement, serve as non-destructive methods for assessing PTEs exposure in birds, with feathers possibly becomes a reliable indicator of metal accumulation in internal tissues. The review emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate bird species and sample types to enhance the accuracy of environmental contamination assessments and underscores the utility of birds in understanding the broader ecological effects of PTEs pollution.

In our experiment, we investigated the weed control efficiency of organic mulches (wheat straw and grass cuttings) and agrotextile. The mulching materials reduced weed coverage and influenced the weed flora. However, their effectiveness significantly declined after approximately 4–6 weeks, necessitating supplementary weeding to prevent substantial yield losses. Agrotextile increased the yield by 43% (likely due to its effect on soil temperature and water management favorable for sweet potatoes), while organic mulches reduced the yield by 16–23%, even with supplementary weeding. In the weedy control, yield decreased by 97.2%. Agrotextile produced a marketable yield of 84.25 t/ha, whereas organic mulches resulted in 40.98–44.54 t/ha. Based on our results, agrotextile is the most recommended option for weed control in sweet potato, considering both the labor time required for weed management and the costs. Since agrotextile can be used for multiple years, its cost is not higher than straw mulch, and its environmental impact is lower compared to disposable plastic mulches.