A temporal and spatial monitoring of organotin pollution in a harborside region of Brazil by imposex and ecological quality ratio using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leucozonia nassa</Emphasis>

This study represents the first use of Leucozonia nassa (Mollusca-Gastropoda) in a program of long-term monitoring. Specimens of L. nassa were collected between 2006 and 2014 and analyzed for the occurrence of imposex in two areas in Southeastern Brazil, one control area and another characterized by the presence of many ports and marinas. Imposex was evaluated in nine sites based on the percentage of females exhibiting imposex (I%), relative penis length index and vas deferens sequence index, classical indices to evaluate tributyltin (TBT) impacts. Moreover, this study uses for the first time in a tropical environment the ecological quality ratio (EQR), an approach to verify the imposex levels as an indicator of the impact by organotin compounds according to the EU Water Framework Directive. The results confirm the occurrence of high levels of imposex in L. nassa with all the indices evaluated. Furthermore, the results also indicate that, despite the international ban, antifouling paints based on TBT are still possibly used in Brazil. In addition, this study shows that L. nassa has the characteristics that make it a suitable bioindicator to monitor TBT pollution, and that the use of the EQR may create important data regarding this problem.     

Animal Welfare,National Identity and Social Change: Attitudes and Opinions of Spanish Citizens Towards Bullfighting

Traditionally, in Spain bullfighting represents an ancient and well-respected tradition and a combined brand of sport, art and national identity. However, bullfighting has received considerable criticism from various segments of society, with the concomitant rise of the animal rights movement. The paper reports a survey of the Spanish citizens using a face-to-face survey during January 2016 with a total sample of 2522 citizens (1256 men and 1266 women). The survey asked about degree of liking and approving; culture, art and national identity; socio-economic aspects; emotional perception and animal welfare. The hypothesis proposed that the perception of bullfights may be affected by gender, age, occupation, origin and nationality of the persons surveyed. The hypothesis was confirmed. The majority of citizens surveyed do not like bullfights and great majorities do not attend or watch such events. Two extreme clusters were described: one representing favorable attitude towards bullfighting and other against bullfighting. The proportion of indifferent persons was important. Women and young people showed a more favorable attitude towards animal welfare issues associated with these events. Rural people were more accepting bullfights than urban people. Students were more anti-bullfight than those in other occupations. Additionally, technical economic factors made people favor more bullfights. The growth of claim against bullfights establishes an element of a far more multifaceted phenomenon that animal cruelty per se and support of a new paradigm called social change in countries as Spain.     

Ecotoxicity in Aliivibrio fischeri of Ibuprofen,Omeprazole and their Mixtures

The acute ecotoxic effects of ibuprofen and omeprazole and their mixture have been measured using Aliivibrio fischeri as a biomodel. The toxic effects were also tested after 5 days, and an effect-driven approach was used to analyse the results. The toxic effects of the mixtures were compared with the predictions obtained using concentration addition and independent action mathematical methods.

According to the Passino and Smith classification, the results indicate that ibuprofen can be considered slightly toxic (10<EC₅₀ <100?mg?L^-1), while omeprazole can be denoted as moderately toxic (1<EC₅₀ <10?mg?L^-1) to Aliivibrio fischeri. An overestimation of the actual ecotoxic effect of the mixture was found when the concentration addition and independent action methods were applied. Finally, the effect-driven approach indicated that the transformation products of the studied drugs should be prioritized for risk assessment purposes.     

Recycled and virgin plastic carriers in hybrid reactors for wastewater treatment.

The reduction of organic and nitrogen pollution of wastewater was investigated in two hybrid reactors and compared with the reduction obtained by using a conventional activated sludge reactor (ASR) run as a control. Both HR-1 and HR-2 were activated sludge systems where a low-density carrier, P1 (polyethylene) for HR-1 and P2 (recycled plastics) for HR-2, was added. Firstly, the three reactors were operated at 10 days Suspended Solid Retention Time (SRT(SS)), leading to a complete nitrification. Secondly, the SRT(SS) for each reactor was lowered to 3 days. Nitrification was lost for the ASR but remained complete for HR's. Respirometric techniques were used to measure fixed or suspended biomass activities for heterotrophic and autotrophic biomass. More than 90% of the autotrophic activity was found on the supports whatever the SRT(SS) used. The results may underline the role of the carrier geometry or surface characteristics on the autotrophic/heterotrophic microorganism distribution.     

Eco-friendly polyurethane foams based on castor polyol reinforced with açaí residues for building insulation

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The search for environmental sustainability has stimulated the construction sector to look for natural materials with an ecological footprint, high...     

Responses of a non N-limited forest plantation to the application of alkaline-stabilized dewatered dairy factory sludge

Amendment of forest soils with dewatered dairy factory sludge (DDFS), characterized by low heavy metal contents and high amounts of degradable C, can prevent the depletion of soil nutrients that results from intensive harvesting in forest plantations. However, this practice involves environmental risks when N supplies exceed the demand of plants or when the strong acidity of the soil favors the mobility of trace metals. These aspects were assessed in a young radiata pine plantation growing in a sandy, acidic, and organic N-rich soil for the 7 yr after application of a DDFS. The supply of limiting nutrients (mainly P, Mg, and Ca) provided by application of the DDFS, along with control of the ground vegetation, improved the nutritional status of the stand and led to increases in timber volume of more than 60 to 100%. Increases in soil inorganic N were observed during the first months after amendment. Data from soil incubation experiments revealed that some of the additional N was immobilized and, to a lesser extent, denitrified due to the readily available organic C content of the DDFS. Leaching and increased plant uptake of N were prevented by a combination of the latter processes and the low rate of nitrification. The strong acidity of the soil enhanced the availability of Mn and Zn to plants, although the maximum concentrations did not reach levels harmful to organisms. We conclude that although application of DDFS has positive effects on tree nutrition and growth and the environmental risks are low, repeated application may favor mobility of N and availability of heavy metals.