The occurrence of microplastics in coastal areas is a growing concern due to the increase in plastic waste pollution in recent decades. This study had as objective to evaluate the occurrence of microplastics in Brazilian beach sand, using a simple and fast methodology. In addition, possible microplastics were classified according to color, shape and chemical composition. The study was conducted on six beaches on the Brazilian coast Pecado Beach (RJ), Castanheiras Beach (ES), Regência Beach (ES), Imbassaí Beach (BA), Viral Beach (SE) and Ponta dos Mangues Beach (SE). The methodology was adapted from international protocols, with section demarcation (100 m), where samples were collected from the superficial layer of the beach sand in ten quadrants (50 cm × 50 cm). The laboratory extraction procedure consisted of the density separation technique in two stages the first used sodium chloride solution and the second used zinc chloride solution. For the visual inspection and screening procedures, a stereoscopic microscope was used. A total of 166 items of microplastics were collected on the six beaches on the Brazilian coast under study. The largest quantity of possible microplastics was recorded on the beaches of Viral (SE) and Ponta dos Mangues (SE) with 30.4 items/m2 and 17.4 items/m2, respectively. Regarding colour, white items were predominant (49.3%), and among particle types, fragments represented 85.1%. In addition, some microplastic particles were sent for FT-IR analysis, one of which was identified as being polyethylene. This study contributes to the knowledge of the presence of microplastics in different locations, and to supporting decision makers regarding coastal management.The ever-increasing volume of packaging waste is widely recognised as a key global environmental challenge. Packaging is thus a central concern for advocates and analysts of circular economy (CEc), who often apply the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology when measuring the environmental impacts of products and packaging. We undertook a systematic literature review as a research method, and in-depth analysis to ascertain the extent to which the new CEc paradigm has been integrated in LCA methodology applied to beverage packaging and reported in scientific papers. Carefully developed search strings returned 866 articles relevant to our enquiry from the databases of SCOPUS and Web of Science. Applying our selected eligibility criteria, we extracted a subset of 51 articles for in-depth analysis. The analysed literature shows the links between the quality of packaging material for recycling and the profoundness of the LCA studies. The paper provides the following set of recommendations for enhancing the future practice in development of the scientific LCAs for beverage packaging (i) taking all direct and indirect factors into account when assessing the refillable beverage packaging system and conducting break-even analysis in order to achieve impartial comparative assessments of single-use and refillable systems; (ii) developing proxies in cases when actual data is lacking with which to model the recycling scenarios for exported secondary materials and hence improving the accuracy of recycling rate assessments in LCA models; (iii) improving the definition of the LCA function by introducing multiple loops of the packaging material and assessing qualitative changes in the material resulting from the multiple-recycling process. Thus improved practice of LCAs could better inform and improve the design of new packaging strategies aimed at prolonging the life of packaging materials in the technosphere, equally fulfilling the principles of the CEc.The lichen Scots pine forests habitats are undergoing rapid disappearance across Europe. Due to the semi-natural character of this habitat and an increase of the nitrification as a result of air pollution, determination of factors responsible for the decrease in lichen field layer cover requires a comprehensive approach. Our study aimed to investigate environmental factors necessary for the determination of active protection measures in order to maintain this vulnerable habitat. Specifically, we aimed to investigate 1) the environmental factors influencing lichen cover in the lichen Scots pine forests of Bory Tucholskie National Park; 2) the differences in habitat variables between sites with lichen-rich and bryophyte-rich field layers. In our study, we used vegetation and microhabitat properties data collected over three years of surveys, as well as ALS LiDAR data. Our results indicated that lichen and bryophyte cover, tree height, tree cover, thickness of organic matter layer, soil temperature and soil water content differed between lichen-rich and bryophyte-rich sites. We found a significant negative relationship between lichen cover recorded within the field layer and tree height. The lichen-rich field layer developed better in areas with lower tree height and thinner layer of organic matter, which created a favorable habitat conditions for lichen development. Our research revealed the previously unknown impact of tree height for the development of lichen field layer. These findings can be used to plan the active conservation measures of lichen Scots pine forests.The herbicide aclonifen is commonly used in agriculture. Aclonifen is toxic to experimental animals, causing developmental abnormalities, decreased energy production for survival, and impaired organogenesis. However, no studies have reported the functional defects and toxicity caused by aclonifen in embryonic development. We hypothesized that the mechanism underlying the toxicity of several herbicides in various organisms involves mitochondrial dysfunction, which subsequently promotes genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and acute organotoxicity. In the present study, we demonstrated that mitochondrial dysfunction during development results in decreased body length, delayed yolk sac absorption, malformed spinal cord, disrupted brain and eye formation, and the activation of apoptosis in zebrafish embryos. Aclonifen induced oxidative stress by elevating the level of reactive oxygen species, causing mitochondrial damage. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/spautin-1.html Likewise, impaired embryonic vascularization can promote cardiovascular disorders. In this study, we characterized the toxicity of aclonifen in a non-target organism.