Degradation and toxicity reduction of textile effluent by combined photocatalytic and ozonation processes

To minimize the environmental impact of textile effluents, mainly related to their high coloration and the presence of toxic or carcinogenic reactive dyes, the efficiency of photochemical and ozonation processes, applied in the form of isolated and combined procedures, were evaluated. The investigation was focused on the reduction of total organic carbon content (TOC), color and acute toxicity (monitoring by inhibition of Escherichia coli respiration). For a reaction time of 60 min, the anatase TiO2-assisted photocatalytic process produces color and TOC reduction of about 90% and 50%, respectively. Meanwhile, the ozonation process gives a decolorization of about 60% but negligible TOC reduction. When the processes were applied in a simultaneous form, the decolorization was almost complete and the TOC reduction was higher than 60%. The three treatments studied yield an acute toxicity reduction of around 50%.     

The Key Role of the Barefoot Fisheries Advisors in the Co-managed TURF System of Galicia (NW Spain)

Many authors have pointed out the need for simpler assessment and management procedures for avoiding overexploitation in small-scale fisheries. Nevertheless, models for providing scientific advice for sustainable small-scale fisheries management have not yet been published. Here we present one model; the case of the Barefoot Fisheries Advisors (BFAs) in the Galician co-managed Territorial Users Rights for Fishing. Based on informal interviews, gray literature and our personal experience by being involved in this process, we have analyzed the historical development and evolution of roles of this novel and stimulating actor in small-scale fisheries management. The Galician BFA model allows the provision of good quality and organized fisheries data to facilitate and support decision-making processes. The BFAs also build robust social capital by acting as knowledge collectors and translators between fishers, managers, and scientists. The BFAs have become key actors in the small-scale fisheries management of Galicia and a case for learning lessons.     

Climate change can reduce shrimp catches in equatorial Brazil

Regional Environmental Change - Shrimps are an important and valuable fishing resource, being increasingly exploited worldwide, demanding appropriate management. However, factors such as how...     

Environmental impacts caused by cemeteries and crematoria,new funeral technologies,and preferences of the Northeastern and Southern Brazilian population as for the funeral process

Cemeteries and crematoria are the main funeral ways used in the world nowadays. It is a little-studied segment in the present days, mainly as for the possible environmental impacts in the environment, such as those derived from dental amalgam, prostheses, and dioxins, among other. This article aimed to identify the environmental impacts caused by cemeteries and crematoria and to point out new trends in funeral processes such as freeze-drying and alkaline hydrolysis. The study is justified due to the large part of the Brazilian population that do not know the environmental impacts caused by cemeteries and crematoria, as well as to bring information about the new processes. For that, a research was carried out with 400 people. The main results show that among all the funeral processes, the new freeze-drying process was opted by 33% of the sample. We also identified that the main reasons for choosing the funeral process were less environmental impact (28%), no after-death expenses (grave payment) (16.1%), and the possibility of putting away or throwing away the remains wherever you want (14.9%). Finally, new funeral processes were well accepted by the Brazilian population—those who were interviewed—due to their benefits.     

Geostatistical analysis of spatial distribution of Liocarcinus depurator,Macropipus tuberculatus and Polybius henslowii (Crustacea: Brachyura) over the Galician continental shelf (NW Spain)

Geostatistics was used to analyze the spatial structure and distribution of three species of brachyurans, Liocarcinus depurator, Macropipus tuberculatus and Polybius henslowii, from sets of data collected during three survey cruises (1983 and 1984) over the Galician continental shelf. The present study investigates the feasibility of using geostatistics with data collected according to traditional methods and of thereby improving the sampling methodology. In order to investigate the spatial structure of the species studied, experimental variograms were calculated and fitted to a spherical model. The spatial structure model was used to estimate and map abundance and distribution of the populations studied using the so-called Kriging technique. Geostatistical analysis enabled the determination of spatial density gradients as well as patch size (14 to 22 km, L. depurator; 10 to 28 km, M. tuberculatus; 7.5 to 28 km, P. henslowii) along the continental shelf. Depth was revealed as a limiting factor, restricting the distribution of L. depurator and M. tuberculatus on a large scale, whereas upwelling processes and nutrient-rich waters from the rías affected the spatial structure on a smaller scale, especially in the case of P. henslowii. A spatial segregation in the distribution of the three species also emerged; this probably arose from differences in physical and biological factors that result in different habitat-exploitation patterns. The study demonstrates the existence of spatial covariance and that the variograms vary as a function of population density and geographical area. This information will be useful in improving the design of future sampling cruises.     

EROD activity and stable isotopes in seabirds to disentangle marine food web contamination after the Prestige oil spill

In this study, we measured via surgical sampling hepatic EROD activity in yellow-legged gulls from oiled and unoiled colonies, 17 months after the Prestige oil spill. We also analyzed stable isotope composition in feathers of the biopsied gulls, in an attempt to monitor oil incorporation into marine food web. We found that yellow-legged gulls in oiled colonies were being exposed to remnant oil as shown by hepatic EROD activity levels. EROD activity was related to feeding habits of individual gulls with apparent consequences on delayed lethality. Capture-recapture analysis of biopsied gulls suggests that the surgery technique did not affect gull survival, giving support to this technique as a monitoring tool for oil exposure assessment. Our study highlights the combination of different veterinary, toxicological and ecological methodologies as a useful approach for the monitoring of exposure to remnant oil after a large oil spill.     

Aqueous solubility, effects of salts on aqueous solubility, and partitioning behavior of hexafluorobenzene: experimental results and COSMO-RS predictions

The aqueous solubility of hexafluorobenzene has been determined, at 298.15 K, using a shake-flask method with a spectrophotometric quantification technique. Furthermore, the solubility of hexafluorobenzene in saline aqueous solutions, at distinct salt concentrations, has been measured. Both salting-in and salting-out effects were observed and found to be dependent on the nature of the cationic/anionic composition of the salt. COSMO-RS, the Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents, has been used to predict the corresponding aqueous solubilities at conditions similar to those used experimentally. The prediction results showed that the COSMO-RS approach is suitable for the prediction of salting-in/-out effects. The salting-in/-out phenomena have been rationalized with the support of COSMO-RS σ-profiles. The prediction potential of COSMO-RS regarding aqueous solubilities and octanol-water partition coefficients has been compared with typically used QSPR-based methods. Up to now, the absence of accurate solubility data for hexafluorobenzene hampered the calculation of the respective partition coefficients. Combining available accurate vapor pressure data with the experimentally determined water solubility, a novel air-water partition coefficient has been derived.     

Assessment of AHS (Airborne Hyperspectral Scanner) sensor to map macroalgal communities on the Ría de vigo and Ría de Aldán coast (NW Spain)

Ría de Vigo and Ría de Aldán have high biological richness that is reflected in the number of environmental protection areas like the Atlantic Islands National Park and five places of community interest. Benthic algal communities play an important role in these ecosystems due to their ecological functions and support a great part of this biological richness. We tested by means of bio-optical modelling and Airborne Hyperspectral Scanner (AHS) images to what extent remote sensing could be used to map these communities in Ría de Vigo and Ría de Aldán (NW Spain). Reflectance spectra of dominating macroalgae groups were modelled for different water depths in order to estimate the separability of different bottom types based on their spectral signatures and the spectral characteristics of the AHS. Our results indicate that separation between three macroalgae groups (green, brown and red) as well as sand is possible when the bottoms are emerged during low tide. The spectra differences decrease rapidly with increasing water depth. Two types of classifications were carried out with the three AHS images: maximum likelihood and spectral angle mapper (SAM). Maximum likelihood showed positive results reaching overall accuracy percentages higher than 95?% and kappa coefficients higher than 0.90 for the bottom classes: shallow sand, deep sand, emerged rock, emerged macroalgae and submerged macroalgae. Sand and algae substrates were then separately analysed with SAM. These classifications showed positive results for differentiation between green and brown macroalgae until 5?m depth and high differences between all macroalgae and sandy substrate. However, differences between red and brown macroalgae are only detectable when the algae are emerged.