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Phytoremediation is a low cost alternative solution to soil contamination compared with
traditional removal and/or disposal techniques. One of the phytoremediation technologies is
the phytovolatilization, whereby the contaminant is not primarily accumulated in above-ground
tissues, but is instead transformed by the plant into the atmosphere. The detoxification of
highly toxic organmercurial compounds and subsequent volatilization of elemental mercury is
a unique example for the successful phytoremediation based on genetic engineering
approach. For mercury removal techniques we constructed a dicistronic construct containing
the bacterial mercury detoxification genes merA and merB under the control of the
Arabidopsis Actin2 promoter and terminator. The resulted construct was introduced to
Agrobacterium competent cells using heat shock transformation method. In the mean time,
we germinated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var. Gold leaf) seeds on MS media and infected
leaf discs of 6-8 weeks tobacco seedlings with Agrobacterium containing Ti plasmid harboring
merA/merB dicistronic construct. The results showed that about 90% of tobacco seedlings
were carrying the mer genes. Tobacco seeds were collected from wild type and transgenic
lines and tested for mercury resistance. The results showed that transgenic plants are
resistant to both Phenyl Mercuric Acetate (PMA) and HgCl2. The root length and dry weight of
wild and transgenic seedlings growing on both media amended with mercury compounds and
media without mercury (control) were scored. The results showed that the root lengths and
dry weight of the transgenic lines are significantly higher by 60 and 17-folds, respectively,
compared to wild type. The results showed clear evidence that the transgenic plants are
resistant to both organic and inorganic mercury compounds and can be used to clean up
mercury contaminated sites.

In the present study an assessment of the influence of the ambient air pollution on the
incidence of the Childhood Asthma Admissions (CAA) is attempted by using cross spectrum
analysis. The medical data concern the hospital registries of the three main Children’s
Hospitals of Athens for the 14-year period, 1987-2000. The air pollution data used in this
study were mean monthly concentrations of CO, Black Smoke (BS), NOx, SO2, and O3,
averaged over all the available stations, for each air pollutant, in the network of the Greek
Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works (GMEPPPW) for the
aforementioned 14-year period. The performed analysis revealed that a pronounced seasonal
variation of asthma exacerbation among Athenian children does exist, rising during the cold
damp period in pre-schoolers and peaking around May in the schoolchildren. We found that
asthma admissions are associated with ambient air pollution at different frequencies. Asthma
exacerbation among the first age group (0-4 years) is strongly depended on winter air
pollution whereas older children (5-14 years) appear to be more vulnerable to the exposure of
primary air pollutants mainly during late spring. Our findings strengthen the aspect that
weather conditions such as sea breeze, mainly happen at the late spring or early summer in
association with air pollution episodes could affect childhood asthma exacerbation.

The Margherita di Savoia Saltworks, located in Apulia (South Italy), are the largest productive
saltworks in Italy. They are connected with the Apulian wetlands, an important network thanks
of its central geographic position, between the east and west of the Mediterranean basin.
Several species and habitats of European and international interest (Natura 2000 network,
Ramsar list) are present in them.
It plays a significant role as an area of stopover, wintering and breeding along the migratory
routes of birds that cross the Mediterranean. The most interesting migratory and wintering
species is the Numenius tenuirostris (slender-billed curlew), which is the bird most at risk of
extinction in Europe.
Moreover in the early 1990s The Phoenicopterus ruber (greater flamingo) has colonised the
reserve in great number, around 6,000 today, making it the largest concentration of the
species in mainland Italy.
The Margherita di Savoia saltworks are entirely a man-made area, the characteristics of
which (water levels, salinity) are preserved entirely due to sea salt production, which
guarantees all the chemical and physical factors necessary for the survival of these habitats.
It is also worth noting the type of production adopted in the saltworks, which makes it possible
to recover the processing brine, thus eliminating one of the critical factors in the symbiotic
relationship between salt production and environmental protection.

Ecological management plan and its implementation for particular wetland are highly
dependent on securing effective management tools, including management according to the
management plan. The implementation of such a plan requires adequate resources, both in
terms of human and financial support. The article demonstrates an innovative approach of
business company, supporting sound ecological management and restoration of salt making
process in the salt-works and Nature Park in Secovlje Salina (Slovenia).
The Secovlje Salina (6,5 km2), part of the Piran Salinas which comprises adjacent still active
Strunjan Salina and already abandoned Lucija Salina, is situated on the Adriatic coast, at the
mouth of the Dragonja River, in the southernmost stretch of the coastline of the Piran Bay.
The area has been designated a Nature Park by the Government of Slovenia in 2001.
Due to difficult economic situation on the European market of salt, the production of salt in
Secovlje Salina almost ceased. In the year 2003 the salt making company (Soline d.o.o.) has
been bought by the telecommunication company Mobitel d.d. in order to safeguard natural
and cultural heritage and landscape and to maintain the traditional salt making process. This
new model of business relationship proved to be successful for both sides: initial investments
in the reconstruction of salt making and park infrastructure resulted in direct economic
benefits for the business company and for preservation of natural and cultural heritage and
tradition. Public image of telecommunication company has raised: potential customers
appreciate investments of business into protection of nature and culture which resulted in new
subscriptions to the above telecommunication company.