Trace elements in muscle of three fish species from Todos os Santos Bay,Bahia State,Brazil

In this study, an analysis was performed on the concentrations of the trace elements Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in muscle of two carnivorous and one planktivorous fish species collected at Todos os Santos Bay (BTS). The accumulation order of the trace elements in Lutjanus analis was Al >Zn >Fe >Cr >Ba >Ni. In Cetengraulis edentulus, the order was Al >Fe >Zn >Cr >Ni >Mn >As. In the species Diapterus rhombeus, the order was Al >Fe >Zn >Cr >Ni >Mn >Cd. To determine the risk related to the consumption of fish, toxicity guidelines were used as standard references. It was observed that the species C. edentulus contained concentrations of As exceeding WHO limits, but these concentrations were acceptable according to the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) guidelines. Cd levels were found only in D. rhombeus and in low concentrations according to the determinations of WHO and ANVISA. Pb levels were not detected in any of the three fish species. The analyzed elements did not differ statistically according to the species and feeding habits. The results point to possible risks of human contamination by As related to the consumption of the fish species C. edentulus from the BTS.     

Business for ocean sustainability: Early responses of ocean governance in the private sector

A large sample of 1664 companies—69 directly working in the ocean economy—distributed across 19 industrial sectors was investigated to explore awareness and activation regarding direct and indirect pressures on the ocean, their responses to these pressures, and the disclosure tools used. We examined their accountability and disclosure practices on sustainable development goals (SDGs) using the drivers, pressures, state, welfare, and response accounting framework. Based on their 2019 sustainability reports, just 7% of the companies assessed disclosed on SDG14. However, 51% of these companies can be considered as aware, albeit to varying degrees, of the pressures their industries place on the oceans, 44% deploy mitigating activities, and 26% are aware and actively lead business responses to ocean challenges. Although we have seen just early responses in addressing ocean challenges, companies’ awareness and activation must converge to achieve ocean sustainability and move businesses into a truly blue economy.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01784-2.     

Park isolation in anthropogenic landscapes: land change and livelihoods at park boundaries in the African Albertine Rift

Regional Environmental Change - Landscapes are changing rapidly in regions where rural people live adjacent to protected parks and reserves. This is the case in highland East Africa, where many...     

Measuring sustainable development knowledge,attitudes, and behaviors: evidence from university students in Mexico

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Current trends such as imminent overpopulation and the take-make-waste economic model are largely responsible for the planet’s dire situation....     

The Role of Fungal Symbioses in the Adaptation of Plants to High Stress Environments

All plants studied in natural ecosystemsare symbiotic with fungi that either resideentirely (endophytes) or partially(mycorrhizae) within plants. Thesesymbioses appear to adapt to biotic andabiotic stresses and may be responsible forthe survival of both plant hosts and fungalsymbionts in high stress habitats. Here wedescribe the role of symbiotic fungi inplant stress tolerance and present astrategy based on adaptive symbiosis topotentially mitigate the impacts of globalchange on plant communities.     

Prenatal diagnosis of neural tube by measurement of serum alpha-fetoprotein defects in havana city

Prenatal screening was carried out in Havana City, Cuba, as part of a National Medical Genetics Programme, in order to detect elevated alpha-fetoprotein concentration in maternal serum (MS-AFP). A total of 97 900 pregnant women between 15 and 19 weeks of pregnancy were tested from 1982 to 1985. A double-antibody-sandwich technique was used. 173 malformed fetuses were detected. Confirmation was by ultrasonography, elevated AFP values in a second serum sample and in amniotic fluid and acetylcholinesterase. No termination of a normal pregnancy occurred. The screening of all pregnancies is easy, economical and useful for detecting not only fetuses suffering from open Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) and other severe disorders but also pregnancies at risk of further complications.     

Oxidative co-treatment using hydrogen peroxide with anaerobic digestion of excess municipal sludge.

The effect of an oxidative co-treatment on anaerobic digestion of a mixture of primary and waste activated sludge was investigated. The oxidant used in this study was hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). A maximum improvement in solid destruction of 15.2% was achieved in the overall process, with a dosage of 2.0 g H2O2/g influent volatile suspended solids (VSS(influent)). All configurations operated at this dosage also showed statistically significant increases in solids removal. A statistically significant enhancement in overall solids destruction was observed for the lower oxidant dosage (0.5 H2O2/g VSS(influent)). Surprisingly, for 1.0 g H2O2/g VSS(influent), only one of the three configurations involving oxidative co-treatment showed significant increases in solids destruction. Special attention was paid to the performance of this process relative to fecal coliforms destruction. Class A biosolids were obtained for all the different hydrogen peroxide dosages used when oxidative co-treatment is combined with a two-stage anaerobic digestion process.     

Spatial and temporal variations of PM(2.5) concentration and composition throughout an urban area with high freeway density-the Greater Cincinnati study

The PM(2.5) concentration and its elemental composition were measured in the Cincinnati metropolitan area, which is characterized by intense highway traffic. The spatial and temporal variations were investigated for various chemical elements that contributed to the PM(2.5) fraction during a 1-year-long measurement campaign (December 2001-November 2002). The ambient aerosol monitoring was performed in 11 locations around the city during nine measurement cycles. During each cycle, four Harvard-type impactors were operating in parallel in specific locations to explore various factors affecting the PM(2.5) elemental concentrations. The sampling was performed during business days, thus assuring traffic uniformity. The 24-h PM(2.5) samples were collected on Teflon and quartz filters. Teflon filters were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis while quartz filters were analyzed by thermal-optical transmittance (TOT) analysis. In addition to PM(2.5) measurements, particle size-selective sampling was performed in two cycles using micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor; the collected fractionated deposits were analyzed by XRF. It was found that PM(2.5) concentration ranged from 6.70 to 48.3 mug m(-3) and had low spatial variation (median coefficient of variation, CV=11.3%). The elemental concentrations demonstrated high spatial variation, with the median CV ranged from 38.2% for Fe to 68.7% for Ni. For traffic-related trace metals, the highest concentration was detected in the city center site, which was close to a major highway. The particle size selective measurement revealed that mass concentration of the trace metals, such as Zn, Pb, Ni, as well as that of sulfur reach their peak values in the particle size range of 0.32-1.0 mum. Meteorological parameters and traffic intensity were not found to have a significant influence on the PM(2.5) elemental concentrations.     

Recovery of polyhydroxyalkanoate from activated sludge in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal bench-scale reactor.

A sequencing batch reactor was used to study the possibility of harvesting polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) processes without compromising treatment quality. Because, in EBPR, the highest PHA concentrations are observed after exposure of the sludge to anaerobic conditions, PHA accumulation was evaluated with collection of waste activated sludge (WAS) at the end of the anaerobic stage, in addition to the traditional removal after the aerobic stage. The system achieved good phosphorus removal, regardless of the point of WAS collection. When sludge was harvested at the end of the anaerobic stage, the PHA content of the sludge ranged from 7 to 16 mg PHA/100 mg mixed liquor volatile suspended solids. Although this level of PHA production is below levels obtained with pure cultures, the demonstrated ability to harvest PHA, while simultaneously satisfying phosphorus removal in an EBPR process, is a key initial step towards of the use of wastewater treatment plants for PHA production.