Spectral trend of vegetation with rainfall in events of El Niño-Southern Oscillation for Atlantic Forest biome,Brazil

This study aimed to analyze the spectral trend of vegetation with rainfall in El Niño-Southern Oscillation events (ENSO) in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Monthly rainfall data were collected from 85 conventional meteorological stations (EMC), data from the Enhanced Vegetation Index 2 (EVI2) and ENSO events (El Niño, La Niña, and Neutral) in the period from 2001 to 2013. Afterwards, state cluster analysis was performed using the results of non-parametric tests. The Mann-Kendall (MK) non-parametric test did not identify a trend pattern in rainfall distribution in the Atlantic Forest. The results for EVI2 by state and region showed that the trend is decreasing in the Northeast Region, except for the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco. Southeast region showed an increasing trend of EVI2 (except for Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), while the South region showed a decreasing trend. In the Midwest, the trend was significantly decreasing. In the prognosis elaborated for the future, the regions with significant declines of the vegetation were the Northeast and Midwest. This study shows that the Atlantic Forest in some regions of Brazil has been suffering from the growing urbanization process and there is a trend of soil degradation.     

Efficiency in heavy metal purge in crustaceans during the ecdysis

Environment, Development and Sustainability - An abundant population of Ucides cordatus swamp crabs is present at Lameirão Ecological Station (Brazil), a tropical ecosystem man-made with...     

Effects of physical exercise on musculoskeletal disorders,stress and quality of life in workers

Background. The effect of physical exercise in the workplace (PEW) on health promotion of workers is contradictory. Objective. To evaluate the effects of the PEW in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), perception of stress and quality of life in workers. Methods. The participants were divided into two groups: control group (n?=?46) including non-participant workers of the PEW program, and PEW group (n?=?50) including workers who regularly participate in the exercise program. All workers answered the Nordic general questionnaire, the perceived stress scale and the quality-of-life questionnaire. Results. The PEW group reported a lower prevalence of MSDs for the trunk in the last 7 days and 12 months (p?=?0.021 and p?=?0.001, respectively), and for the upper limbs in the last 12 months (p?=?0.001) compared with the control group. The results for the perception of stress and quality of life showed no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion. PEW is a potential method to reduce MSDs in workers, but it was not efficient in reducing stress levels or improving the quality of life of the workers.     

Agroecosystem energy transitions: exploring the energy-land nexus in the course of industrialization

Regional Environmental Change -     

Acute ecotoxicity and genotoxicity assessment of two wastewater treatment units

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water contamination by discharge of untreated or poorly treated wastewater into water bodies is a current issue that may cause harm to humans. Water...     

NAPL migration and ecotoxicity of conventional and renewable fuels in accidental spill scenarios

Fuels derived from non-petroleum renewable resources have raised interest due to their potential in replacing petroleum-based fuels, but information on their fate and effects in the terrestrial and aquatic environments in accidental spill scenario is limited. In this study, migration of four fuels (conventional diesel, conventional gasoline, renewable diesel NExBTL, and ethanol-blended gasoline RE85 containing maximum 85 % ethanol) as non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) in soil was demonstrated in a laboratory-scale experiment. Ecotoxicity data was produced for the same fuels. There was no significant difference in migration of conventional and renewable diesel, but gasoline migrated 1.5 times deeper and 7–9 times faster in sand than diesel. RE85 spread horizontally wider but not as deep (p?Eisenia fetida followed by ethanol-blended gasoline (LC50 1,643 mg/kg THC) and conventional diesel (LC50 2,432 mg/kg THC), although gasoline evaporated fast from soil. For comparison, the toxicity of the water-accommodated fractions (WAF) of the fuels was tested with water flea Daphnia magna and Vibrio fischeri, also demonstrating groundwater toxicity. The WAF of conventional gasoline and RE85 showed almost similar toxicity to both the aquatic test species. EC50 values of 1:10 (by volume) WAF were 9.9 %WAF (gasoline) and 9.3 %WAF (RE85) to D. magna and 9.3 %WAF (gasoline) and 12.3 %WAF (RE85) to V. fischeri. Low solubility decreased toxicity potential of conventional diesel in aquatic environment, but direct physical effects of oil phase pose a threat to organisms in nature. Renewable diesel NExBTL did not show clear toxicity to any test species.     

Frequency of micronuclei and of other nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes of the grey mullet from the Mondego,Douro and Ave estuaries—Portugal

Fish are bioindicators of water pollution, and an increased rate of their erythrocyte nuclear morphological abnormalities (ENMAs)—and particularly of erythrocyte micronuclei (EMN)—is used as a genotoxicity biomarker. Despite the potential value of ENMAs and MN, there is scarce information about fish captured in Iberian estuaries. This is the case of the Portuguese estuaries of the Mondego, Douro and Ave, suffering from different levels of environmental stress and where chemical surveys have been disclosing significant amounts of certain pollutants. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate genotoxicants impacts and infer about the exposure at those ecosystems, using the grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) as bioindicator and considering the type and frequency of nuclear abnormalities of erythrocytes as proxies of genotoxicity. Sampling of mullets was done throughout the year in the important Mondego, Douro and Ave River estuaries (centre and north-western Portugal). The fish (total n?=?242) were caught in campaigns made in spring–summer and autumn–winter, using nets or fishing rods. The sampled mullets were comparable between locations in terms of the basic biometric parameters. Blood smears were stained with Diff-Quik to assess the frequencies of six types of ENMAs and MN (given per 1,000 erythrocytes). Some basic water physicochemical parameters were recorded to search for fluctuations matching the ENMAs. Overall, the most frequent nucleus abnormality was the polymorphic type, sequentially followed by the blebbed/lobed/notched, segmented, kidney shaped, vacuolated, MN and binucleated. The total average frequency of the ENMAs ranged from 73?‰ in the Mondego to 108?‰ in the Ave. The polymorphic type was typically ≥50 % of the total ENMAs, averaging about 51?‰, when considering all three estuaries. The most serious lesion—the MN—in fish from Mondego and Douro had a similar frequency (≈0.38?‰), which was significantly lower than that in the Ave (0.75?‰). No significant seasonal differences existed as to the MN rates and seasonal differences existed almost only in the Douro, with the higher values in AW. In general, the pattern of ENMAs frequencies was unrelated with the water physicochemical parameters. Considering the data for both the total ENMAs and for each specific abnormality, and bearing in mind that values of MN in fish erythrocytes >0.3?‰ usually reflect pollution by genotoxicants, it is suggested that mullets were likely being chronically exposed to such compounds, even in the allegedly less polluted ecosystem (Mondego). Moreover, data supported the following pollution exposure gradient: Mondego?<?Douro?<?Ave. The scenario and inferences nicely agree with the published data from chemical monitoring.     

Contamination levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in wild versus cultivated samples of female and male mussels (Mytilus sp.) from the Northwest Coast of Iberian Peninsula—new application for QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) methodology

A newly analytical method based on QuEChERS extraction followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was developed and validated for the quantification of 18 PCBs in wild (from Matosinhos Beach, Portugal) and cultivated (from Ria de Arousa, Spain) mussel samples, pooled by sex. Wild animals showed higher PCB levels than cultivated mussels, with males from both origins, presenting an upper contamination profile comparing with females. This fact seems to be correlated with few biometric parameters, but other interdependencies, not addressed herein, such as distinct lipid contents between sexes, as a consequence of the gametogenic stage, may also explain this data. Overall, data reiterate the importance of investigating the presence of PCBs in marine biological samples, which can act both as bioindicators of environmental contamination, either as food quality controls for human health.     

Forensic Evaluation of Metals (Cr,Cu, Pb,Zn), Isotopes (δ13C and δ15N), and C:N Ratios in Freshwater Sediment

A forensic approach was used to evaluate sediments from Portão Stream, including analysis of metals, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotopes, and C:N ratios. Samples collected at various points located along the stream were tested in order to investigate a possible illegal leachate input. The studied stream is heavily impacted by sewage and industrial discharges from two cities along its course. Among the metals analyzed, chromium (Cr) was noticeably the main pollutant, showing the highest levels, above regulatory limits, downstream from some potential sources of effluents enriched with this metal. Isotope analyses revealed a general trend of depletion in the heavier isotope along the stream for C and N. The exception was one point near a hazardous waste landfill, where relatively more enriched δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values were found. The isotope and metal analysis results indicated that this site was affected by a particular source, demonstrating the combination of these parameters could be used for the discrimination of sources in a heavily polluted stream. Nevertheless, further investigations are necessary to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the biogeochemical processes involved in the incorporation of leachate in sediments to use this analysis as evidence for the illegal leachate discharge.     

Estimating the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) for the State of Rio de Janeiro,Brazil, from 2002 to 2016, as a tool for public policy decision making

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This paper estimates the genuine progress indicator (GPI) for the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, from 2002 to 2016 as an alternative indicator...