An approach to simulate wind fields around an urban environment for wind energy application

This work proposes an approach to simulate wind flow fields around an urban environment with the aim of evaluating the potential impact of buildings on the general wind patterns and power production using the current generation of commercial wind turbines. The simulation process was performed with the aid of accessible computational tools that can potentially render the proposed procedure applicable in other cases of interest. The roughness of the urban environment was defined as the association of roughness map, topography, and an alternative process for obtaining the volumetry of buildings. A case study was conducted in a region located at the district of Boa Viagem (Recife-PE) for assessing the applicability of the approach. Scenarios were designed in order to simulate wind flow patterns and pre-identify sites that have suitable wind energy potential for electric power production by investigating the combination of wind speed magnitude and turbulence intensity. From the results obtained, it was possible to identify zones of potential wind sources that are not detected in classical wind atlas probably due to the influence of the built environment on local wind flow patterns.     

Illumina sequencing-based analysis of a microbial community enriched under anaerobic methane oxidation condition coupled to denitrification revealed coexistence of aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs

Methane is produced in anaerobic environments, such as reactors used to treat wastewaters, and can be consumed by methanotrophs. The composition and structure of a microbial community enriched from anaerobic sewage sludge under methane-oxidation condition coupled to denitrification were investigated. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis retrieved sequences of Methylocaldum and Chloroflexi. Deep sequencing analysis revealed a complex community that changed over time and was affected by methane concentration. Methylocaldum (8.2%), Methylosinus (2.3%), Methylomonas (0.02%), Methylacidiphilales (0.45%), Nitrospirales (0.18%), and Methanosarcinales (0.3%) were detected. Despite denitrifying conditions provided, Nitrospirales and Methanosarcinales, known to perform anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (DAMO) process, were in very low abundance. Results demonstrated that aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs coexisted in the reactor together with heterotrophic microorganisms, suggesting that a diverse microbial community was important to sustain methanotrophic activity. The methanogenic sludge was a good inoculum to enrich methanotrophs, and cultivation conditions play a selective role in determining community composition.     

Effect of glyphosate on the microbial activity of two Brazilian soils

Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)-glycine] is a broad-spectrum, non-selective, post-emergence herbicide that is widely used in agricultural. We studied, in vitro, changes in the microbial activity of typical Hapludult and Hapludox Brazilian soils, with and without applied glyphosate. Glyphosate was applied at a rate of 2.16 mg glyphosate kg(-1) of soil and microbial activity was measured by soil respiration (evolution of CO(2)) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis over a period of 32 days. We found an increase of 10-15% in the CO(2) evolved and a 9-19% increase in FDA hydrolyses in the presence of glyphosate compared with the same type of soil which had never received glyphosate. Soil which had been exposed to glyphosate for several years had the strongest response in microbial activity. Most probable number (MPN) counts showed that after 32 days incubation the number of actinomycetes and fungi had increased while the number of bacteria showed a slight reduction. After the incubation period, high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) detected the glyphosate metabolite aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA), indicating glyphosate degradation by soil microorganisms.     

Airborne bioaerosols and their impact on human health

Bioaerosols consist of aerosols originated biologically such as metabolites, toxins, or fragments of microorganisms that are present ubiquitously in the environment. International interests in bioaerosols have increased rapidly to broaden the pool of knowledge on their identification,quantification, distribution, and health impacts(e.g., infectious and respiratory diseases,allergies, and cancer). However, risk assessment of bioaerosols based on conventional culture methods has been hampered further by several factors such as:(1) the complexity of microorganisms or derivatives to be investigated;(2) the purpose, techniques, and locations of sampling; and(3) the lack of valid quantitative criteria(e.g., exposure standards and dose/effect relationships). Although exposure to some microbes is considered to be beneficial for health,more research is needed to properly assess their potential health hazards including inter-individual susceptibility, interactions with non-biological agents, and many proven/unproven health effects(e.g., atopy and atopic diseases).     

The use of Microtox to assess toxicity removal of industrial effluents from the industrial district of Camaçari (BA, Brazil)

The treatment efficiency, as toxicity removal, of complex effluents from the Industrial District of Cama?ari (BA, Brazil), after biological treatment with activated sludge was evaluated using Microtox. Samples of the equalised effluent (EE) were collected prior to treatment together with samples of the treated effluent (TE), which remained 24 h in the treatment plant. Rehydrated colonies of Vibrio fischeri were exposed to sequential dilutions of EE and TE to assess luminosity interference. Values for EC50 were calculated, together with the respective toxicity units. In all, twenty assays of each effluent type were carried out and the mean toxicity removal was 92.71%, while the chemical oxygen demand (COD) presented mean reduction of 83.04%. There was a variability of an order of magnitude between the Microtox results for the two types of effluents. The mean EC50 values were 2.12 for EE and 47.78% for TE. In spite of its weakness in some conditions, the Microtox system demonstrated to work adequately in assessing effluent toxicity removal in this treatment plant and therefore can be used for further toxicity removal programs.     

Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Poly(lactic acid)/Bio-Based Polyethylene/Clay Biocomposites Containing Montmorillonite and Vermiculite Clays

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - This work aims to investigate the effect of organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) and vermiculite (OVT) clays on the properties of poly(lactic acid)...     

The Impact of the Macaíba Components Addition on the Biodegradation Acceleration of Poly (Ɛ-Caprolactone) (PCL)

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Nowadays, there is a need to obtain eco-friendly materials, especially plastics that are responsible for most of the environmental pollution. In this...     

Morphology,Chemical Characterization and Sources of Microplastics in a Coastal City in the Equatorial Zone with Diverse Anthropogenic Activities (Fortaleza city,Brazil)

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The aim of the present study was to perform morphological and chemical characterizations of microplastics (MPs) found in seawater samples from the coast of...