Atmospheric background trace elements deposition in Tierra del Fuego region (Patagonia,Argentina), using transplanted <Emphasis Type="Italic">Usnea barbata</Emphasis> lichens

Lichen, Usnea barbata, transplants taken from Tierra del Fuego (south Patagonia, Argentina) were tested as potential biomonitors of atmospheric airborne deposition in an apparently pristine environment. In 2005, lichens were sampled in a reference site (n = 31) and transplanted in the northern Region of Tierra del Fuego. After, respectively, 1 month and 1 year of exposure, we collected them. The aim of the study was to determine the bioaccumulation of 26 elements in order to evaluate the background levels in the selected area. Samples were analyzed by the sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Discriminant analysis on principal component analysis factors was applied in order to explore the relationship among the different elements as far as time and spatial variation in transplants regards. The analysis was tested by Monte Carlo test based on 999 replicates. The most important contamination source resulted to be the atmospheric soil particle deposition. Furthermore, the results were compared with those obtained from the lichens collected in central and southern Tierra del Fuego. This study confirms the ability of U. barbata to reflect the background levels of the 26 elements in that environment. Compared with other background sites in the world, we did confirm that Tierra del Fuego lichens have a low content of the studied elements. Tierra del Fuego turned out not to be a pristine environment as supposed, but it can be considered as a reference basal ecosystem for useful comparisons among different geographical areas. These findings can be very relevant and useful for environmental conservation programs.     

The problem of disposing of plaster waste from building sites: problem structuring based on value focus thinking methodology

Plaster is a material which is widely used in Brazil on construction sites. However, its use in recent years has been limited by a legal resolution on the environment introduced in Brazil. One of the regions most affected by these restrictions is the Northeast where the strategic importance of plaster for the region is apparent from the extensive economic development, centered on the gypsum pole of Araripe in the state of Pernambuco. This problem has involved many interested parties, among whom are plaster producers, plastering companies, builders, unions (for plaster workers, and construction workers), Town Halls, and so forth. Therefore, there is a need to structure the problem with a view to obtaining a better understanding of the problem given the lack of information on the real decision problem. To reach this objective, value focus thinking (VFT), a methodology that addresses how values can be used to improve the decision making process, was applied and the problem was structured. Thus, it was possible for the parties involved to clarify their objectives, and specify more precisely the consequences and constraints for the decision problem. In addition, each party involved could get a better understanding of their own wishes. In conclusion, the VFT methodology application enables the parties involved to make more consistent decisions, and therefore to ensure that plaster will continue to be used in the construction industry.     

Anaerobic treatment of sulfate-rich wastewater in an anaerobic sequential batch reactor (AnSBR) using butanol as the carbon source

Biological sulfate reduction was studied in a laboratory-scale anaerobic sequential batch reactor (14 L) containing mineral coal for biomass attachment. The reactor was fed industrial wastewater with increasingly high sulfate concentrations to establish its application limits. Special attention was paid to the use of butanol in the sulfate reduction that originated from melamine resin production. This product was used as the main organic amendment to support the biological process. The reactor was operated for 65 cycles (48 h each) at sulfate loading rates ranging from 2.2 to 23.8 g SO(4)(2-)/cycle, which corresponds to sulfate concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g SO(4)(2-) L(-1). The sulfate removal efficiency reached 99% at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 g SO(4)(2-) L(-1). At higher sulfate concentrations (2.0 and 3.0 g SO(4)(2-) L(-1)), the sulfate conversion remained in the range of 71-95%. The results demonstrate the potential applicability of butanol as the carbon source for the biological treatment of sulfate in an anaerobic batch reactor.     

Global distribution of a key trophic guild contrasts with common latitudinal diversity patterns

Most hypotheses explaining the general gradient of higher diversity toward the equator are implicit or explicit about greater species packing in the tropics. However, global patterns of diversity within guilds, including trophic guilds (i.e., groups of organisms that use similar food resources), are poorly known. We explored global diversity patterns of a key trophic guild in stream ecosystems, the detritivore shredders. This was motivated by the fundamental ecological role of shredders as decomposers of leaf litter and by some records pointing to low shredder diversity and abundance in the tropics, which contrasts with diversity patterns of most major taxa for which broad-scale latitudinal patterns haven been examined. Given this evidence, we hypothesized that shredders are more abundant and diverse in temperate than in tropical streams, and that this pattern is related to the higher temperatures and lower availability of high-quality leaf litter in the tropics. Our comprehensive global survey (129 stream sites from 14 regions on six continents) corroborated the expected latitudinal pattern and showed that shredder distribution (abundance, diversity and assemblage composition) was explained by a combination of factors, including water temperature (some taxa were restricted to cool waters) and biogeography (some taxa were more diverse in particular biogeographic realms). In contrast to our hypothesis, shredder diversity was unrelated to leaf toughness, but it was inversely related to litter diversity. Our findings markedly contrast with global trends of diversity for most taxa, and with the general rule of higher consumer diversity at higher levels of resource diversity. Moreover, they highlight the emerging role of temperature in understanding global patterns of diversity, which is of great relevance in the face of projected global warming.     

Plastic pollution: A focus on freshwater biodiversity

Plastics are dominant pollutants in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Scientific studies that investigated the interaction between plastics and freshwater biodiversity are incipient, especially if compared to the marine realm. In this review, we provide a brief overview of plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems around the world. We found evidence of plastic ingestion by 206 freshwater species, from invertebrates to mammals, in natural or semi-natural ecosystems. In addition, we reported other consequences of synthetic polymers in freshwater ecosystems—including, for instance, the entanglement of animals of different groups (e.g., birds). The problem of plastic pollution is complex and will need coordinated actions, such as recycling programs, correct disposal, stringent legislation, regular inspection, replacement of synthetic polymers with other materials, and ecological restoration. Current information indicates that the situation in freshwater ecosystems may be as detrimental as the pollution found in the ocean, although highly underappreciated.Supplementary InformationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01496-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Preliminary assessment of antimicrobial activity and acute toxicity of norfloxacin chlorination by-product mixture

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Among drugs and personal care products, antibiotics arouse interest since they are widely used in human and veterinary medicine and can lead to the...     

Tolerance of Mentha crispa L. (garden mint) cultivated in cadmium-contaminated oxisol

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The tolerance of Mentha crispa L. (garden mint) cultivated in cadmium-contaminated oxisol for 120 days was analyzed using plant growth variables such...     

Biomonitoring of element contamination in bees and beehive products in the Rome province (Italy)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, we determined the levels of elements (i.e. As, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, U, and Zn) in bees and edible beehive products (honey, wax,...