Handling of Astyanax sp. for biomonitoring in Cangüiri Farm within a fountainhead (Iraí River Environment Preservation Area) through the use of genetic biomarkers

Aquatic environmental pollution may cause biodiversity loss. Thus, monitoring studies are very important because fish health reflects both quality and sustainability of the environment, as well as of the individuals that live there. In the present report, genetic biomarkers (piscine micronucleus test; comet assay with blood, liver, and kidney cells) were used in specimens of Astyanax sp. to analyze the contamination level of the Cangüiri Farm through biomonitoring. The Cangüiri Farm, the old school farm of the Federal University of Paraná, is inside the Iraí River Environment Preservation Area, created in 1996 to preserve the sources of public water supply in Curitiba and metropolitan area. We verified that the fishes collected within the Cangüiri Farm area presented high damage levels, showing more environment contamination when compared to the specimens collected in the Costa Ecologic Park, used as reference in the present report. The results indicate that the Cangüiri Farm, which is inside an environment protection area, created especially for the protection of the fountainhead for water supply, may be contaminated. These toxic residues, which were remarkably persistent in the environment, are possibly derived from agricultural activities in the wider area. Thus, we suggest the analysis of the area with other biomarkers and for a longer time period.     

Polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS): application for monitoring organic micropollutants in wastewater effluent and surface water

In this paper, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of POCIS (Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler) for the evaluation of river water quality downstream of wastewater treatment plants. POCIS proved well adapted to sampling alkylphenols and several pharmaceuticals. Concentration factors and the decrease in limits of quantification, compared to grab water sample analyses, were significant except for hormones, β-blockers and bronchodilators. Promising preliminary results obtained in situ on deuterated atenolol used as a performance reference compound need to be confirmed in-lab. This work confirms that POCIS is a valuable tool for monitoring hydrophilic organic molecules in river and wastewaters.     

Heavy metal and trace elements in riparian vegetation and macrophytes associated with lacustrine systems in Northern Patagonia Andean Range

Vegetation associated with lacustrine systems in Northern Patagonia was studied for heavy metal and trace element contents, regarding their elemental contribution to these aquatic ecosystems. The research focused on native species and exotic vascular plant Salix spp. potential for absorbing heavy metals and trace elements. The native species studied were riparian Amomyrtus luma, Austrocedrus chilensis, Chusquea culeou, Desfontainia fulgens, Escallonia rubra, Gaultheria mucronata, Lomatia hirsuta, Luma apiculata, Maytenus boaria, Myrceugenia exsucca, Nothofagus antarctica, Nothofagus dombeyi, Schinus patagonicus, and Weinmannia trichosperma, and macrophytes Hydrocotyle chamaemorus, Isöetes chubutiana, Galium sp., Myriophyllum quitense, Nitella sp. (algae), Potamogeton linguatus, Ranunculus sp., and Schoenoplectus californicus. Fresh leaves were analyzed as well as leaves decomposing within the aquatic bodies, collected from lakes Futalaufquen and Rivadavia (Los Alerces National Park), and lakes Moreno and Nahuel Huapi (Nahuel Huapi National Park). The elements studied were heavy metals Ag, As, Cd, Hg, and U, major elements Ca, K, and Fe, and trace elements Ba, Br, Co, Cr, Cs, Hf, Na, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn. Geochemical tracers La and Sm were also determined to evaluate contamination of the biological tissues by geological particulate (sediment, soil, dust) and to implement concentration corrections.     

Photochemical degradation of nonylphenol in aqueous solution：The impact of pH and hydroxyl radical promoters

The degradation of nonylphenol (NP) in aqueous solution with UV, H₂O₂/UV, and Fenton/photo-Fenton processes was studied. The efficacy of direct and hydrogen peroxide photolysis proved to be dependent on the pH value. The addition of H₂O₂ to UV treatment improved NP degradation. The application of UV photolysis and the H₂O₂/UV system at pH 7 resulted in low pseudo first-order rate constants at 10^-4 sec^-1. In the experiments at elevated pH values the pseudo-first order rate constants increased to 10^-3 sec^-1. The efficacy of the Fenton process was lower in comparison with UV and hydrogen peroxide photolysis. The addition of UV irradiation to the H₂O₂/Fe²⁺ system substantially improved NP degradation efficacy. In terms of performance, the photo-Fenton process was similar to the H₂O₂/UV process. The most favourable process for complete nonylphenol degradation considering both operational cost and treatment efficacy was H₂O₂/UV at pH 11 and 250 mol/L H₂O₂.     

Blood markers among residents from a coal mining area

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coal extraction and processing generate environmental contamination, which has several negative impacts on human health. Hematological and biochemical...     

Protective effect of gamma-oryzanol against manganese-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Manganese (Mn) is an essential element that, in excess, seems to be involved in the development of different neurodegenerative conditions....     

Unlikely lead-bearing phases in river and estuary sediments near an ancient mine (Huelgoat,Brittany, France)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Anthropocene mineral diversity is the result of the purification of metals naturally combined with other chemical elements in natural environment....     

Selective sorptive removal of Methyl Red from individual and binary component solutions by mesoporous organosilicas of MCM-41 type

Organosilicas with chemically immobilized 3-aminopropyl and Methyl Red-containing surface groups were prepared by sol-gel condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane in the presence of dye as part of the mixed micelles or dye-containing silane as silica source. The hexagonally arranged mesoporous structure of synthesized materials was confirmed by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption, x-ray diffraction, and TEM studies. Chemical composition of MCM-41-type organosilicas was established by FT-IR spectroscopy and chemical analysis of surface layer. Sorption of Methyl Red by organosilicas was studied from diluted phosphate buffer solutions in dependence of medium pH, duration of contact, and equilibrium concentration of dye. It was found that effective removal of Methyl Red takes place at pH values within a range of 2.5?5. Kinetic curves of Methyl Red sorption on organosilicas were analyzed by the Lagergren, Ho-McKey, and Weber-Morris kinetic models. It was found that the pseudo-second-order model fits the kinetics of Methyl Red sorption on all synthesized materials and the intraparticle diffusion is not the only one mechanism controlling the rate of Methyl Red sorptive removal. The parameters of equilibrium sorption of Methyl Red on organosilicas of MCM-41 type were calculated using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller models. Sorption of acid dyes with geometry similar or substantially different from Methyl Red on mesoporous silicas was studied from single and binary component mixtures in aqueous solutions with pH 4.8 and 5.5. It was found that selective sorption process is highly dependent on the structural characteristics and protolytic state of silica surface as well as acid dye.     

Deflective effect and the effect of prey detectability on anti-predator function of eyespots

Eyespots (patterns of roughly concentric rings) are often thought to have an anti-predator function. Previous experiments have lent support for the intimidation hypothesis by demonstrating a deterring effect of eyespots, but so far there is little evidence for the deflective effect (direction of attacks toward less vital body parts). We studied predators’ responses towards large and small eyespots and towards prey with no, one, or a pair of eyespots and if this response is influenced by whether or not prey blend into background. In two experiments, we used artificial, triangular prey items and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) as predators. In experiment 1, we found evidence for the deflective effect of small but not large eyespots, independent of whether the prey was presented on a concealing or exposing background. In experiment 2, we found that predators avoided the prey with a pair of small eyespots more than the prey without eyespots, but interestingly, we only found this deterring effect on the concealing background. There was no difference in attacks between the prey with one large and two small or one large and no eyespots. We conclude that deflective function may select for eyespots, and background may influence the deterring function of eyespots.