Biodiversity Journal - For wildlife research and environmental studies

Antonio Vella

Biodiversity Journal, 13 (3): 0623-0626 - MONOGRAPH

Valentina Cumbo, Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Gaetano Cammilleri, Antonio Vella, Andrea Macaluso, Ilaria Rizzuto, Antonino Pisano, Vincenzo Ferrantelli & Salvatore Seminara
Testing heavy metals biomonitoring through birds of prey as top predators
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.3.623.626

ABSTRACT
The Experimental Zooprofilactic Institute of Sicily (Italy) has great opportunities and validated methods (accreditated by an important national control unit like ACCREDIA) for biodiversity monitoring and analysis of fauna samples. Fauna recovery centers of Bosco di Ficuzza (Palermo) and Colli San Rizzo (Messina) routinely send dead specimens to the Institute to perform every category of analysis. Valuating heavy metals content in top predators is a strong instrument for territory and biodiversity health monitoring to take actions for management. In this study some specimen members of Buteo buteo (Linneus, 1758) species were investigated for Pb and Cd content. The methodology used for determination was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) method. Results show that in sample 1 Pb levels exceed cut-off values in organs: the liver accumulate a concentration of 4.668 mg/Kg and the muscle 0.200 mg/Kg. For sample 2, Pb and Cd were absent in both organs. Sample 3 reveals a very high concentration of Pb in the liver, with a value of 2.928 mg/Kg; this is probably due to a reiterated presence in the diet of prey killed by lead pellets. Liver of sample 3 accumulated even an high concentration of Cd (3.948 mg/Kg) justified by prey consumption, as rock partridge, rats or rabbits that probably feed on plants treated with agrochemicals.
Biodiversity Journal, 13 (3): 0617-0621 - MONOGRAPH

Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Valentina Cumbo, Gaetano Cammilleri, Andrea Macaluso, Antonio Vella, Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Vincenzo Ferrantelli & Salvatore Seminara
Comparison between aluminum bioaccumulation in samples of the Muscovy duck Cairina moschata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves Anatidae) from the city and the country
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.3.617.621

ABSTRACT
Cairina moschata (Linnaeus, 1758) is an anatid originating from South America, easily adapted to the European climate. In this work, feathers and blood were used as samples from living individuals to evaluate the bioaccumulation of aluminum. The determination of Al accumulation was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The analysis was conducted in the “Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia” (Palermo, Italy) with validated methods (accredited by ACCREDIA) for biodiversity monitoring and analysis of fauna samples. Samples were collected from a total of twenty individuals of C. moschata, ten samples coming from a park in the city center of Palermo (Southern Italy, Parco d’Orleans), and ten from the field of Monreale (Palermo). Blood from city samples showed a higher level of aluminum than city samples; feathers have had an opposite trend. Al median value determined in blood was ±4,27259 mg/Kg and ±2,61815 mg/Kg respectively for the city (Palermo) and Monreale. In feathers, the median value was ± 402,24218 for samples collected in city and ±1260,75603 for samples collected in Monreale. The concentration levels of Al in feathers were higher in Monreale samples than in Parco D’Orleans, probably because the individuals that live in nature attend the reservoirs where pollutants are poured.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 497-498 - MONOGRAPH

Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Antonello Cicero, Ladislao La Scala, Innocenzo Ezio Giangrosso, Ignazio Munna, Antonella Amato, Francesca Ornella Assiria, Vincenza Lo Verde, Andrea Macaluso, Gaetano Cammilleri, Rosaria Collura, Stefania Graci, Valentina Cumbo, Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Giulia Caracappa, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonio Vella & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Heavy metal toxicity and food contamination: lead, cadmium, and mercury determination on fish matrices from the FAO 37.2.2
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.497.498

ABSTRACT
Heavy metals can be essential, benefits and toxic. The 246 samples of swordfish, tuna and bivalve molluscs examined coming from the request of private individuals and at the request of the Control Authorities in order to carry out routine checks or inspections of food safety. All the elements were determined by an ICP-MS. The level of contamination of heavy metals in the fish species sampled in the Mediterranean Sea has been investigated as an indicator of water pollution. This study highlighted the presence of lead and cadmium, especially in swordfish samples, but all within the limits of law; mercury is absent in all samples. Top predators have higher levels of heavy metals than other species due to the bioaccumulation phenomenon.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 495-496 - MONOGRAPH

Vincenzo Ferrantelli, Antonella Costa, Stefania Graci, Gaetano Cammilleri, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Rosaria Collura, Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Valentina Cumbo, Francesca Ornella Assiria, Michele Chetta, Andrea Macaluso & Antonio Vella
Impact of the “Anisakis C.Re.N.A.” APP
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.495.496

ABSTRACT
Anisakiasis is a zoonotical disease provoked by the nematodes belonged to the Anisakidae family. The trend of Anisakiasis cases increases continously, therefore a constant awareness of this topic is essential for the consumers' protection. An application for smartphones was carried out by the National Centre for Anisakiasis for this purpose. This work aimed at evaluate the impact of “Anisakis CReNA” app for consumers by the implementation of a survey. The results obtained revealed that the app developed has reached the goal established giving easy to understand and easy to consult information for the protection of consumers regarding the risks related to these parasites.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 493-494 - MONOGRAPH

Vita Giaccone, Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Licia Pantano, Gaetano Cammilleri, Valentina Cumbo, Antonio Vella, Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Ilaria Rizzuto, Barbara Randisi, Giulio Bagnato, Andrea Pulvirenti & Andrea Macaluso
First report on the presence of Alloxan in Bleached Flour by LC-MS/MS Method
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.493.494

ABSTRACT
Alloxan is a ketone with a low molecular weight and neutral functional groups. In this work the presence of Alloxan in bread, pastry and cake bleached flour was investigate in order to verify possible risk for consumers related to the use of chemicals for flour bleaching.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 491-492 - MONOGRAPH

Giovanni Lo Cascio, Barbara Randisi, Nicola Cicero, Valentina Cumbo, Andrea Pulvirenti, Andrea Macaluso, Michele Chetta, Gaetano Cammilleri, Rosaria Collura, Stefania Graci, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonio Vella & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Determination of Chlorpyriphos in Sicilian peaches by Gascromatography-MSMS method coupled with quechers sample preparation procedure preparation
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.491.492

ABSTRACT
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide used to kill a number of pests including insects and worms. It is considered moderately hazardous to humans by the World Health Organization and is harmful for these classes of animals. Gas chromatography tandem mass mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for the quantification and confirmation of Chlorpyrifos pesticide residues in peaches. The analysis carried out on peach samples confirmed that chlorpyrifos are widely used in Sicilian territory so that 34 percent of the samples were contaminated by the pesticide.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 489-490 - MONOGRAPH

Claudio Fiorista, Luigi Maria Mammina, Michele Chetta, Pietro Sposito, Antonello Cicero, Innocenzo Ezio Giangrosso, Valentina Cumbo, Francesca Ornella Assiria, Andrea Macaluso, Gaetano Cammilleri, Rosaria Collura, Stefania Graci, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonio Vella, Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Ilaria Rizzuto, Viviana Giangreco, Giulio Bagnato & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Sulphite’s determination in equine meat and its preparations
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.489.490

ABSTRACT
Sulphites are antimicrobial and antioxidant substances recognized as additives. Furthermore, these chemicals may reduce the nutritional quality of food by interacting with some vitamins such as nicotinamide, folic acid, thiamine and pyridoxal. An ionic chromatography with conductivity suppressor detector, after rapid distillation method was carried out for the quantitative determination of sulfites in food products. On two hundred samples of equine meat, we revealed that 23% of the analyzed samples are above the limit allowed by law. Sulphites are used illegally with the purpose of obtaining and maintaining the aesthetic and commercial characteristics.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 481-484 - MONOGRAPH

Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Antonello Cicero, Licia Pantano, Giuseppe Giangrosso, Ignazio Munna, Andrea Pulvirenti, Francesca Ornella Assiria, Vincenza Lo Verde, Andrea Macaluso, Gaetano Cammilleri, Valentina Cumbo, Rosaria Collura, Stefania Graci, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonio Vella & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Evaluation of Histamine level in the Red Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) of the Mediterranean Sea in 2010–2015
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.481.484

ABSTRACT
Histamine is a biogenic amine present in fish species associated with a high amount of histidine, and it can cause the ‘scombroid poisoning’. The Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 govern the criteria to analyze histamine in fishery products and specifies that the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is the reference method. In this work, 664 samples were presented in the 2010–2015 shine, of which 46 (6.9%) were positive. With Chart 1 it can be noted that the number of samples has increased substantially in recent years (2013–2015) due to intensified official controls. On the contrary, the number of positives has decreased progressively.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 479-480 - MONOGRAPH

Antonio Vella, Graziella Graci, Francesco Olibrio, Valentina Cumbo, Antonello Cicero, Daniele Di Salvo, Giulia Caracappa & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Presence of Ocratoxin (OTA) in wine produced in Sicily (Italy)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.479.480

ABSTRACT
Ocratoxin (OTA) occurs naturally in different foodstuffs, including grapes and their derivatives. OTA is a secondary fungal metabolite produced naturally by Aspergillus and Penicillium species. The purpose of this work was to estimate the occurrence of OTA in wine produced in Sicily to obtain a risk assessment of these substances. A total of 470 wine samples were quantitatively analysed by screening analysis method based on immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA) for ochratoxin. Results confirmed the presence of contamination by OTA in only one sample of red wine “Nero D’Avola” from south-oriental Sicily.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 475-478 - MONOGRAPH

Gaetano Cammilleri, Stefania Graci, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Rosaria Collura, Antonella Costa, Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Francesca Ornella Assiria, Michele Chetta, Innocenzo Ezio Giangrosso, Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Valentina Cumbo, Antonio Vella, Andrea Pulvirenti & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
New report of Anikasis larvae from Blunthead Puffer, Sphoeroides pachygaster caught off Strait of Sicily
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.475.478

ABSTRACT
Aim of the present paper was to report and identify by morphological and molecular methods the presence of anisakid L3 larvae found in 7 specimens of Sphoeroides pachygaster caught off Strait of Sicily from 2012 and 2015. Nematode larvae (n=9) were collected from three fish samples: the larvae were morphologically identified as belonging to the genus Anisakis Type I and, stored in 70% ethanol, were underwent molecular identification at species level by PCR- RFLP analysis of the rDNA (ITS-1, 5.8S gene, and ITS-2) region. Sequencing of ITS regions and comparison with sequences in GenBank were also performed. The parasites were molecular identified as belonging to A. pegreffii that is the predominant species in Mediterranean Sea. This is a new report of Anisakis sp. in S. pachygaster. The blunthead puffer Sphoeroides pachygaster is a fish species of Atlantic origin: in the last years there are indeed numerous reports of this alien fish species in the Mediterranean included Italian Seas. The presence of the species Anisakis pegreffii may support the hypothesis of complete adaptation of S. pachygaster in the Mediterranean Sea.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 471-473 - MONOGRAPH

Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Antonello Cicero, Giovanni Lo Cascio, Valentina Cumbo, Francesca Ornella Assiria, Andrea Macaluso, Gaetano Cammilleri, Rosa Filippi, Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Barbara Randisi, Rosaria Collura, Vita Giaccone, Stefania Graci, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonio Vella & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Use of terrestrial gastropods (Cornu aspersum) as bioindicators of the environmental contamination status of the Sicilian Natural Parks to assess the contamination status of the pastures
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.471.473

ABSTRACT
The use of land molluscs in biomonitoring can evidence interactions between the contaminant and the biotic sphere. The concentration of heavy metals were determined by ICP-MS. In areas where anthropic and industrial contamination persist, heavy metal levels were above the quantification limit; sampling in agricultural areas shows lower levels of heavy metals. The same trend of results can be found for the analysis of IPAs. Snails can be considered as bioindicators of pollutants living in close contact with the soil and ingesting plants with a high concentration of contaminants.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 469-470 - MONOGRAPH

Luigi Maria Mammina, Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Claudio Fiorista, Pietro Sposito, Innocenzo Ezio Giangrosso, Valentina Cumbo, Michele Chetta, Andrea Macaluso, Gaetano Cammilleri, Rosaria Collura, Stefania Graci, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonio Vella & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Sulphite’s determination of Mediterranean Red Shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea), in ionic chromatografy
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.469.470

ABSTRACT
In the red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea), sulphites are added because they block the activity of an enzymatic complex responsible of shrimp’s browing and maintain the aesthetic and commercial characteristics. An ionic chromatography after rapid distillation method was carried out for the quantitative determination of sulfites in food products. On 100 samples, only 0.7% were below the detection limit, 12.7% were above the limit allowed by law, 86.6% of samples were below the maximum permitted by law.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 465-468 - MONOGRAPH

Stefania Graci, Rosaria Collura, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonella Costa, Gaetano Cammilleri, Valentina Cumbo, Giuseppe Giangrosso, Michele Chetta, Antonello Cicero, Antonio Vella, Andrea Macaluso & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Detection of Anisakidae larvae in fish products commercialized in Sicily
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.465.468

ABSTRACT
In this work a total of 1331 fish samples belonging to 15 species (Engraulis encrasicolus, Alaccia aurita, Loligo vulgaris, Trigla lyra, Conger conger, Merluccius merluccius, Zeus faber, Lophius piscatorius, Sardina pilchardus, Lepidopus caudatus, Scorpaena scrofa, Scomber scombrus, Trachurus trachurus, Todarodes sagittatus, Trachinus draco) from Sicilian commercialized in Sicily (FAO 37, FAO 37.1.3, FAO 37.1.1, FAO 37.2.2, FAO 37.3, FAO27, FAO 41, FAO87), were examined for the detection of Anisakidae larvae and molecular identification. The fish samples were examined for the research of nematodes by visual inspection and digestion method according to the EC Regulation 2075/2005. Detected larvae were subjected to morphological identification through the optical microscopy. Subsequently, the DNA was extracted and the molecular identification of the larvae was conducted by RFLP-PCR of the nuclear ITS region (ITS-1, ITS-2 and 5.8 S subunit). The polymerase chain reactions targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (cox2) was performed and subjected to sequence reaction. A number of 370 larvae have been identified at species level, of which 330 belong to the Anisakis pegreffii, 23 to the Anisakis simplex sensu strictu, 6 to the recombinant genotype Anisakis pegreffii/simplex s. s., 1 to Anisakis physeteris and 10 to Hysterothylacium fabri. The data obtained provide interesting reflections on the presence of parasites belonging to the Anisakidae family in fishery products marketed in the Sicilian territory. These findings are an excellent tool for assessing and preventing possible risks due to the consumption of these products.
Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 463-464 - MONOGRAPH

Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Antonello Cicero, Valentina Cumbo, Francesca Ornella Assiria, Giuseppe Giusto, Andrea Macaluso, Barbara Randisi, Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo, Michele Chetta, Gaetano Cammilleri, Rosaria Collura, Stefania Graci, Maria Drussilla Buscemi, Antonio Vella & Vincenzo Ferrantelli
Investigation on the presence of Dioxins in the Sicilian Sheep’s milk
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.463.464

ABSTRACT
Our studies were conducted in 2016 and several sicilian sheep farms were involved. The goal of this research was to evaluate the possible use of sheep as a “sentinel” body to be used as a biological indicator for environmental biomonitoring of dioxins. For the determination of dioxins in sheep’s milk was used a method on high-resolution gas chromatography along with a high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) in order to evaluate the existence of dioxins with concentrations exceeding the limits imposed by the EC Regulation 1881/2006. A total of 200 samples were analyzed, of which 14 samples exceeded the limits imposed by the EC Regulation 1881/2006: 3.0 pg/g fat sum of dioxins (WHO.PCDD/F-TEQ). It is conceivable that the proximity to high anthropization areas and industrialization, may have a positive influence on the propagation of dioxins in the environment having been detected values exceeding the allowed limit. The samples with low dioxin concentrations were analyzed, with values not exceeding the prescribed limit.

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Antonio Vella