The environmental geochemical baseline,background and sources of metal and metalloids present in urban,peri-urban and rural soils in the O´Higgins region,Chile

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - The importance of environmental geochemistry baseline in soils of O´Higgins Region, Chile, since it hosts in its eastern area one of the major Cu-Mo...     

Risk of exposure to Hg and pesticides residues in a traditional fishing community in the Amazon: a probabilistic approach based on dietary pattern

Exposure to mercury (Hg) and pesticides (o.p’DDT, p.p’DDT, o.p’DDE, and p.p’DDE) in the Amazon through eating fish is of concern due to the large participation of this food in the diet of traditional fishing communities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the estimated daily intake (EDI) and the incremental lifetime cancer risk associated with Hg and o.p’DDT, p.p’DDT, o.p’DDE, and p.p’DDE in an Amazonian community. The results showed that for Hg, the EDI from carnivorous and detritivorous fish had the highest values, while for pesticides, the EDI from detritivorous fish intake had the highest value. The incremental lifetime cancer risk was below the permitted limit. A recommendation for controlling the high risk of exposure includes the reduction of detritivorous fish ingestion and/or replacement with herbivorous fish, which had lower EDI. We highlight the importance of investigating the human dietary patterns when estimating risk of exposure to Hg and pesticides.

     

Impact of air pollution on outdoor cultural heritage objects and decoding the role of particulate matter: a critical review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Atmospheric gases and particulate matter (PM) in contact with the material’s surface lead to chemical and physical changes, which in most cases...     

How to stay together? Habitat use by three sympatric sharks in the western coast of Baja California Sur,Mexico

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Sharks are top predators and play an important role in the regulation of marine ecosystems at lower trophic position. Mustelus californicus, Sphyrna...     

Sorption of 4-n-nonylphenol, 4-n-octylphenol,and 4-tert-octyphenol on cyclodextrin polymers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Alkylphenols are industrial pollutants commonly present in wastewater. They are difficult to eliminate by conventional treatment processes, ending up...     

Investigation of biomass waste biochar production to act as matrix for urea

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In this work, the synthesis of biochar from several biomass wastes to act as matrix for urea was investigated. The objective was to select the most...     

Correction to: Management of food waste in restaurants by way of circular practices

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Food waste is a serious problem worldwide. There is a lot of waste in the food sector, while we still have a significant percentage of people who...     

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Coffee Capsule Recycling Process and Its Composites Reinforced with Natural Fibers

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The present research aims to propose a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between the coffee capsules recycling process and the process of obtaining...     

Rain forest fragmentation and the proliferation of successional trees

The effects of habitat fragmentation on diverse tropical tree communities are poorly understood. Over a 20-year period we monitored the density of 52 tree species in nine predominantly successional genera (Annona, Bellucia, Cecropia, Croton, Goupia, Jacaranda, Miconia, Pourouma, Vismia) in fragmented and continuous Amazonian forests. We also evaluated the relative importance of soil, topographic, forest dynamic, and landscape variables in explaining the abundance and species composition of successional trees. Data were collected within 66 permanent 1-ha plots within a large (approximately 1000 km2) experimental landscape, with forest fragments ranging from 1 to 100 ha in area. Prior to forest fragmentation, successional trees were uncommon, typically comprising 2-3% of all trees (> or =10 cm diameter at breast height [1.3 m above the ground surface]) in each plot. Following fragmentation, the density and basal area of successional trees increased rapidly. By 13-17 years after fragmentation, successional trees had tripled in abundance in fragment and edge plots and constituted more than a quarter of all trees in some plots. Fragment age had strong, positive effects on the density and basal area of successional trees, with no indication of a plateau in these variables, suggesting that successional species could become even more abundant in fragments over time. Nonetheless, the 52 species differed greatly in their responses to fragmentation and forest edges. Some disturbance-favoring pioneers (e.g., Cecropia sciadophylla, Vismia guianensis, V. amazonica, V. bemerguii, Miconia cf. crassinervia) increased by >1000% in density on edge plots, whereas over a third (19 of 52) of all species remained constant or declined in numbers. Species responses to fragmentation were effectively predicted by their median growth rate in nearby intact forest, suggesting that faster-growing species have a strong advantage in forest fragments. An ordination analysis revealed three main gradients in successional-species composition across our study area. Species gradients were most strongly influenced by the standlevel rate of tree mortality on each plot and by the number of nearby forest edges. Species-composition also varied significantly among different cattle ranches, which differed in their surrounding matrices and disturbance histories. These same variables were also the best predictors of total successional-tree abundance and species richness. Successional-tree assemblages in fragment interior plots (>150 m from edge), which are subjected to fragment area effects but not edge effects, did not differ significantly from those in intact forest, indicating that area effects per se had little influence on successional trees. Soils and topography also had little discernable effect on these species. Collectively, our results indicate that successional-tree species proliferate rapidly in fragmented Amazonian forests, largely as a result of chronically elevated tree mortality near forest edges and possibly an increased seed rain from successional plants growing in nearby degraded habitats. The proliferation of fast-growing successional trees and correlated decline of old-growth trees will have important effects on species composition, forest dynamics, carbon storage, and nutrient cycling in fragmented forests.