Plants and Organisms, as New Frontiers in Biomonitoring of Environmental Contamination

Dear Colleagues,

Among the different methods for monitoring environmental contamination, the use of plants and (micro-/macro-)organisms is becoming an important issue. In this way, the use of organisms as lichens and bees is also well-known and well-studied, whereas little is known about the use of plants, for instance biomonitoring using the wild edible plants (WEPs) that spontaneously grow outside and that are usually widespread both in rural, urban, and industrial areas during all seasons. For this reason, biomonitoring (monitoring through plants and/or organisms) can be very useful for both assessing the level of contamination in a specific area and for checking whether direct contamination sources are present. Plants can be contaminated through two different mechanisms. They can either absorb contaminants through their roots or can collect dust contaminants deposited on the surface of leaves. By analyzing the different anatomical components of the plant, the source of contamination can be traced. Furthermore, organisms can be used as environmental indicators due to their ability to function as bio-accumulators of contaminant molecules and/or their metabolites. The main contaminants will be emergent pollutants and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and, according to inorganic micropollutants, heavy metals. The studies to be included in this Special Issue should propose rapid and innovative monitoring methods that are suitable for reducing the exposure risks in public health.

Prof. Dr. Pasquale Avino
Dr. Giuseppe Ianiri
Guest Editors

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