Parent–offspring dietary segregation of Cory’s shearwaters breeding in contrasting environments

In pelagic seabirds, who often explore distant food resources, information is usually scarce on the level of trophic segregation between parents and their offspring. To investigate this issue, we used GPS tracking, stable isotopes and dietary information of Cory’s shearwaters Calonectris diomedea breeding in contrasting environments. Foraging trips at Selvagem Grande (an oceanic island) mainly targeted the distant African coast, while at Berlenga island (located on the continental shelf), shearwaters foraged mainly over nearby shelf waters. The degree of isotopic segregation between adults and chicks, based on δ¹³C, differed markedly between the two sites, indicating that adult birds at Selvagem fed their chicks with a mixture of shelf and offshore pelagic prey but assimilated more prey captured on coastal shelf waters. Isotopic differences between age classes at Berlenga were much smaller and may have resulted from limited dietary segregation or from age-related metabolic differences. The diet of shearwaters was also very different between the two colonies, with offshore pelagic prey only being detected at Selvagem Grande. Our findings suggest that spatial foraging constraints influence resource partitioning between pelagic seabirds and their offspring and can lead to a parent–offspring dietary segregation.     

Assessing human exposure to aluminium,chromium and vanadium through outdoor dust ingestion in the Bassin Minier de Provence,France

The Western part of the “Bassin Minier de Provence”, a former coal mining area, is still occupied by old polluting industries such as a coal-fired power plant and an alumina factory. The identified pollution sources that raise more concern in the population are the emission of gases and dusts, as well as the storage of raw and transformed materials. In 2011, a preliminary survey was carried out in the area as the first step to an exposure and health risk-assessment study. This first survey intends to assess human exposure through ingestion and health risk associated with potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in ground-level dusts collected in recreational areas used by children. Dust samples were taken at 19 sites distributed across the study area, depending on the location of public parks, public gardens, playgrounds and schools. Pseudo-total concentrations of 53 elements were determined by ICP-MS. Bioaccessible concentrations were estimated using the unified bioaccessibility method. This study presents the results obtained for Al, V and Cr, which seem to be related with industry and show similar distribution patterns. PHEs presumably related to traffic or other urban pollution sources are not discussed in this study. The highest total concentrations occur in dusts near the alumina plant that have significant amounts of Al mineral phases (gibbsite and alumina). However, in these dusts only small fractions of the elements under study are in bioaccessible forms. The highest bioaccessible fractions occur in dusts collected near the coal-fired power plant. Further investigation is required to assess potential pathways of exposure and health risk in this area.     

Ground water contamination with 238U, 234U, 235U, 226Ra and 210Pb from past uranium mining: cove wash,Arizona

The objectives of the study are to present a critical review of the ²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³⁵U, ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Pb levels in water samples from the EPA studies (U.S. EPA in Abandoned uranium mines and the Navajo Nation: Red Valley chapter screening assessment report. Region 9 Superfund Program, San Francisco, 2004, Abandoned uranium mines and the Navajo Nation: Northern aum region screening assessment report. Region 9 Superfund Program, San Francisco, 2006, Health and environmental impacts of uranium contamination, 5-year plan. Region 9 Superfund Program, San Franciso, 2008) and the dose assessment for the population due to ingestion of water containing ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U. The water quality data were taken from Sect. “Data analysis” of the published report, titled Abandoned Uranium Mines Project Arizona, New Mexico, Utah–Navajo Lands 1994–2000, Project Atlas. Total uranium concentration was above the maximum concentration level for drinking water (7.410–1 Bq/L) in 19 % of the water samples, while ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U concentrations were above in 14 and 17 % of the water samples, respectively. ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in water samples were in the range of 3.7 × 10^?1 to 5.55 × 102 Bq/L and 1.11 to 4.33 × 102 Bq/L, respectively. For only two samples, the ²²⁶Ra concentrations exceeded the MCL for total Ra for drinking water (0.185 Bq/L). However, the ²¹⁰Pb/²²⁶Ra ratios varied from 0.11 to 47.00, and ratios above 1.00 were observed in 71 % of the samples. Secular equilibrium of the natural uranium series was not observed in the data record for most of the water samples. Moreover, the ²³⁵U/^totalU mass ratios ranged from 0.06 to 5.9 %, and the natural mass ratio of ²³⁵U to ^totalU (0.72 %) was observed in only 16 % of the water samples, ratios above or below the natural ratio could not be explained based on data reported by U.S. EPA. In addition, statistical evaluations showed no correlations among the distribution of the radionuclide concentrations in the majority of the water samples, indicating more than one source of contamination could contribute to the sampled sources. The effective doses due to ingestion of the minimum uranium concentrations in water samples exceed the average dose considering inhalation and ingestion of regular diet for other populations around the world (1 μSv/year). The maximum doses due to ingestion of ²³⁸U or ²³⁴U were above the international limit for effective dose for members of the public (1 mSv/year), except for inhabitants of two chapters. The highest effective dose was estimated for inhabitants of Cove, and it was almost 20 times the international limit for members of the public. These results indicate that ingestion of water from some of the sampled sources poses health risks.     

Novel Whey Protein Isolate/Polyvinyl Biocomposite for Packaging: Improvement of Mechanical and Water Barrier Properties by Incorporation of Nano-silica

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The current global proposal for withdrawing polymers with high resistance to degradation and from fossil sources from disposable appliances, as well as the...     

Green synthesis silver nanoparticles Bougainvillea glabra Choisy/LED light with high catalytic activity in the removal of methylene blue aqueous solution

In this study, we evaluated, in a pioneering way, the influence of wavelengths from the decomposition of white light on the production and physicochemical properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Bearing in mind a process of green synthesis, an extract of the bracts of Bougainvillea glabra Choisy (BgC) was used, a species native to tropical and subtropical regions and frequently used in ornamentation, possessing in its photochemical composition, biomolecules capable of acting as reducing agents for convert Ag⁺ to Ag⁰. We used light-emitting diodes (LED) to obtain the desired wavelengths (violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red) in the test called rainbow, and we evaluated the obtaining of AgNPs compared to white LED light, nature, and absence of light. In the rainbow assay, we obtained a gradual increase in the intensity of the plasmonic band resonance from the red wavelength (0.124 ± 0.067 a.u.) to violet (0.680 ± 0.199 a.u.), indicating a higher reaction yield in obtaining AgNPs. Smaller hydrodynamic sizes (approximately 150 nm) at more energetic wavelengths (violet, blue, and green) about less energetic wavelengths (yellow, orange, and red) (approximately 400 nm) were obtained. Analysis by SEM microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction indicates the presence of silver nanoparticles in all LED colors used together with white LED light and Laboratory light (natural light). Due to the high environmental demand to remove pollutants from water sources, including textile dyes, we applied AgNPs/BgC to remove methylene blue (MB) dye from an aqueous solution. A minimum removal percentage greater than 65%, with emphasis on formulations synthesized by the colors of violet LED (84.27 ± 2.65%) and orange LED (85.91 ± 1.95%), was obtained.

     

Ethnobotany and Management of Dimorphandra gardneriana in a Protected Area of Chapada do Araripe Semiarid Ceará, Northeastern Brazil

The development of conservation strategies for nontimber forest products requires the characterization of the management systems and ethnoecological knowledge of the used species, as well as the analysis of the biological impacts of these processes. This study aimed to evaluate management systems and extractivist areas and related ethnoecological knowledge of Dimorphandra gardneriana (fava d’anta) in the semiarid region of Ceará, Northeast of Brazil. Fava d’anta produces fruits with high concentration of bioflavonoids, substances with various pharmacological properties, being exploited by extractivist communities in the mosaic of protected areas in Chapada do Araripe, Ceará. Ethnoecological knowledge has been concentrated on collectors who have been in activity for a longer time and/or plant the species. We identified three management systems that can impact in different ways on fava d’anta populations, depending on the area and level of human interference with the species. The extractivists respect the zoning of protected areas and do not enter in the full protection area, choosing areas with the highest tree density. The different systems produce a mosaic that creates different extraction opportunities and modifications to the local landscape and to fava d’anta populations. Factors that may have effects on the conservation of the species are the lack of supervision and overexploitation of the resource in native areas, while the factors that affect the health of extractivists are the infrastructure of the work and exposure to wild environments.     

Effect of the Incorporation of Lysozyme on the Properties of Jackfruit Starch Films

Jackfruit starch based biodegradable films containing lysozyme were characterized for their antimicrobial activity, thickness, solubility, water vapor permeability and mechanical properties. The biodegradable films had good appearance and antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus. The thickness of the biodegradable films were not affected by the variation in pH, but the addition of lysozyme increased the thickness, the thickest films being those with the highest lysozyme concentrations. The variation in pH of the filmogenic solutions affected the solubility of the biodegradable films, water solubility being greatest at pH 7.0 and with the highest lysozyme concentration. The permeability of the biodegradable films was increased by incorporating lysozyme. The lysozyme concentration and pH variation caused changes in the mechanical properties. The addition of 8% lysozyme increased the tensile strength and Young’s modulus for all the pH values studied. With respect to the release of antimicrobial activity, the diffusion of lysozyme was shown to follow Fickian transport mechanism.     

Heavy metal inputs evolution to an urban hypertrophic coastal lagoon, Rodrigo De Freitas Lagoon, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

This work discusses the temporal variation of metal concentrations in a hypertrophic coastal lagoon located in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The lagoon watershed includes one of the mostly densely urbanized areas of the city but without industrial activities. Six sediment cores were collected in the lagoon between May and July 2003 and analyzed for the concentration of metals (Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, and Ni). Typical sedimentation rate was calculated as being 0.75 cm year^???1 and was uniform for at least the past 70 years. Therefore, the alterations in the dynamics of the lagoon caused by changes in its watershed were clearly indicated in sediment cores. The construction of an artificial canal to the sea and the increasing urbanization and soil use changes were the major factors affecting metal accumulation in the lagoon sediments. Metals typical of anthropogenic urban sources (Pb, Zn, and Cu) showed increasing loads following urbanization.     

Thermoplasticization of High Amylose Starch by Chemical Modification Using Reactive Extrusion

Modified thermoplastic high amylose starch (MTPS) was synthesized by reactive extrusion in the presence of maleic anhydride (MA) as an esterification agent in a twin-screw extruder. The objective of this work was the preparation of reactive thermoplastic starch in the presence of glycerol and with different amounts of maleic anhydride (MA) and free-radical initiator, in order to improve processability and reactivity. The concentration of MA added varied from 2 to 6 wt% (of starch + glycerol), and the free-radical initiator, 2,5-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethylhexane, also called Luperox 101, varied from 0.1 to 0.5 wt% (of starch + glycerol). Characterization of maleated thermoplastic starch was performed using dynamic light scattering and thermal analysis. Further, proof of chemically modified extrudate was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and by soxhlet extraction with acetone. The modified high amylose corn starch (20 or 30% glycerol) could be pelletized and gave pellets that were more transparent than thermoplastic starches not modified with maleic anhydride. There was negligible change in hydrodynamic radius as the percentage of maleic anhydride increased. However, as the percentage of Luperox 101 increased, the hydrodynamic radius decreased. It could be inferred that the molecular weight decreased as the percentage of free-radical initiator increased. Using the maximum temperature in the extrusion process of 165 °C instead of 135 °C caused a decrease in the hydrodynamic radius, due to the high influence of the temperature profile on the molecular weight of the thermoplastic starch. The MTPS samples presented higher melting temperatures compared to TPS samples. The soxhlet studies indicated that the plasticizer, glycerol, was chemically linked to the starch. Using the maximum temperature of 165 °C versus 135 °C in the extrusion temperature profile resulted in more interaction between glycerol and starch.