The “SYSTEMS BIOLOGY” in the study of xenobiotic effects on marine organisms for evaluation of the environmental health status: biotechnological applications for potential recovery strategies

Environmental monitoring and bioremediation of imperilled habitats, and more in general disturbed sites, are amongst the focus keys of the European strategies for territory management (see Horizon 2020, the new European Program for Research and Innovation). The anthropogenic disturbance is acting on ecosystems with serious consequences for the environment and human health, driving strong social and economic impacts on the community. Often, such in the case of chemical and petrochemical productions, the areas subjected to the most intensive industrialization are located along the coastline, being a severe threat to the marine environment. Recently, the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research funded the project “SYSTEMS BIOLOGY”. The Project is articulated into two main phases: (1) a field monitoring program to evaluate the effects of toxic contaminants (e.g. heavy metals and hydrocarbons) on “sea sentinels” (organisms representing early living warning systems) purposely placed in different contaminated areas; (2) a series of controlled mesocosms-scale experiments to measure the effects, on the same sea sentinels, of different remediation actions on waters and sediments collected from the contaminated areas under inspection. The project is aimed to understand how the xenobiotic contamination induces or modifies the biological processes in aquatic species, and to evaluate the potential effectiveness of different biotechnological strategies in controlling and reducing the impact of marine pollution on the biological compartment. Each phase is accomplished through a synergic collaboration and multidisciplinary approach among eight research units and constitutes a pioneering advance in the international scenario.