Cleaner production in the management of water use at a poultry slaughterhouse of Vale do Taquari,Brazil: a case study

This study included the layout characterization for the production process of a poultry slaughterhouse using qualitative and quantitative flow charts for water management; analysis of general parameters for pollution load in the wastewater produced in critical stages of the production process and assessment of environmental impact indicators. Prognoses for cleaner production based on water management were established. The diagnostic stage revealed that the scalding, pre-chilling, separated points of wastewater disposal for the wastewater treatment plant and disposal of treated and non-reused wastewater were critical for water management. Dissolved oxygen depletion and eutrophication account for the major environmental impacts of these wastewaters, resulting in an environmental pressure index of 32.1. The opportunities for cleaner production implementation resulting from this study include the reuse of wastewaters from pre-chilling and chilling for pre-washing of carcasses, since average temperatures of these wastewaters range between 4 and 16 °C. This will contribute to lowering the oil and grease pollution load. Another strategy concerns the standardization of cleaning procedures with rational water use in all work shifts and implementation of water meters on a sector-by-sector basis. In the latter case, which has already been implemented, water consumption was reduced by 13%.     

Enhancement of conservation knowledge through increased access to botanical information

Herbarium specimens are increasingly recognized as an important resource for conservation science and virtual herbaria are making specimens freely available to a wider range of users than ever before. Few virtual herbaria are designed with conservation use as a primary driver. Exceptionally, Brazil's Reflora Virtual Herbarium (RVH) was created to increase knowledge and conservation of the Brazilian flora. The RVH is closely integrated with the Flora of Brazil 2020 platform on which Brazil's new national Flora is under construction. Both resources are accessible via the Reflora home page and thousands of users move seamlessly between these Reflora resources. To understand how the Reflora resources are currently used and their impact on conservation science, we conducted a literature review and an online survey. We searched for publications of studies in which Reflora resources were used and publications resulting from Brazilian researchers who were part of Reflora's research and mobility program. The survey contained multiple choice questions and questions that required a written response. We targeted Reflora webpage visitors with the survey to capture a wider range of Reflora users than the literature review. Reflora resources were used for a variety of conservation-relevant purposes. Half the 806 scientific publications in which Reflora was cited and 81% of the 1069 survey respondents accessing Reflora resources mentioned conservation-relevant research outputs. Most conservation-relevant uses of the Reflora resources in scientific publications were research rather than implementation focused. The survey of Reflora users showed conservation uses and impacts of virtual herbaria were more numerous and diverse than the uses captured in the literature review. Virtual herbaria are vital resources for conservation science, but they must document use and impacts more comprehensively to ensure sustainability.     

Catalytic combustion of soot over ceria-zinc mixed oxides catalysts supported onto cordierite

Modified substrates as outer heterogeneous catalysts was employed to reduce the soot generated from incomplete combustion of diesel or diesel/biodiesel blends, a process that harms the environment and public health. The unique storage properties of ceria(CeO2) makes it one of the most efficient catalysts available to date. Here, we proposed that ceria-based catalysts can lower the temperature at which soot combustion occurs; more specifically, from 610℃ to values included in the diesel exhausts operation range(300–450℃). The sol-gel method was used to synthesize mixed oxide-based catalysts(CeO2:ZnO); the resulting catalysts were deposited onto cordierite substrates. In addition, the morphological and structural properties of the material were evaluated by XRD, BET, TPR-H2, and SEM. Thermogravimetric(TG/DTA) analysis revealed that the presence of the catalyst decreased the soot combustion temperature by 200℃ on average, indicating that the oxygen species arise at low temperatures in this situation, promoting highly reactive oxidation reactions. Comparative analysis of soot emission by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(DRS) showed that catalyst-impregnated cordierite samples efficiently oxidized soot in a diesel/biodiesel stationary motor: soot emission decreased by more than 70%.     

Pseudomonas fluorescens dynamics in the soil surface to subsurface transect

Microbial displacement in the soil is an important process for bioremediation and dispersal of wastewater pathogens. We evaluated cell movement in surface and subsurface red-yellow podzolic soil driven by advection and microbial motility and also survival of a microbial population at high pressure as is prevalent in deep soil layers. Pseudomonas fluorescens Br 12, resistant to rifampycin and kanamycin, was used as a model organism traceable in non-sterile soil. Our results showed that more than 40% of the P. fluorescens population survived under high pressure, and that microbial motility was not a major factor for its displacement in the soil. Cells were adsorbed in similar amounts to surface and subsurface soils, but more viable cells were present in the leachate of surface than in subsurface soils. The nature of this unexpected cell binding to the subsurface soil was studied by EPR, Mossbauer, NMR, and infrared techniques, suggesting iron had a weak interaction with microbes in soil. P. fluorescens movement in soil resulted mainly from convection forces rather than microbial motility. The transport of this bacterium along the transept toward groundwater encountered restricted viability, although it survived under high pressure conditions simulating those in deep soil layers.     

Mapping residual pyrite after a mine spill using non co-located spatiotemporal observations

Monitoring of soil chemical properties for pollution assessment generally requires destructive soil sampling and results in spatiotemporal datasets where data from different sampling dates are non co-located. The objective of this study was to assess the spatial distribution of residual pyrite sludge at a reclaimed site, using temporally non co-located data on pH; soil oxidizable fraction (SOF); and EDTA-extractable Fe, Zn, and Cu from six different sampling dates over a period of 2 yr. During this period spatially averaged pH and Zn concentrations ranged, respectively, from 4.4 to 6.6 and from 60 to 140 mg kg(-1), with minimum pH values of below 2.7. The data were merged into a single dataset for each chemical property after applying a normal score (ns) transform. Normal score pH was significantly negatively correlated with the ns metal concentrations. A principal component analysis (PCA) showed that normal score pH, Zn, and Fe were associated with the residual contamination, while ns Cu, SOF, and elevation were related with historic contamination. The spatial dependence between the properties was found to be scale-dependent. The best ns estimates were produced by ordinary kriging with an anisotopic variogram model, for the properties related with Principal Component (PC) I, while those associated with PC II were best estimated using simple kriging with varying local means. A classified ns pH map showed that 33% of the study area reached at least once values of below 4 during the 2-yr period. This part of the area should be excluded to ensure successful revegetation.     

Removal of Hg2+ ions by adsorption using (TiO2@MnO2)-NPs nanocomposite

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Waste water contaminated with inorganic mercury is considered a serious environmental problem, mainly due to the hazardous effects this contaminant...     

Evaluation of dispersal volcanic products of recent events in lichens in environmental gradient,Nahuel Huapi National Park,Argentina

The atmospheric transport of volcanic products are subject to several variables, mainly the height of the eruption column and wind direction, thus elements associated with the ashes are deposited in major or lesser degree depending on variables as latitude, wind and humidity. The lichens are able to reflect the atmospheric fallout. The present work evaluated the correlation between meteorological parameters, geographic locations, sulphur and other element concentrations in lichens genus Usnea affected by Puyehue–Cordón Caulle complex (North Patagonia Andean Range) eruption of June 4, 2011. Semiquantitative analyses of biological elements by scanning electron microscope methods, sulphur (S) by LECO and other elements by instrumental neutron activation were evaluated by principal component analysis. Elements as antimony, arsenic, barium, bromine, calcium, caesium, potassium, rubidium, selenium, and uranium correlated with distance to volcano, also calcium and potassium with longitude while bromine, rubidium, and potassium with humidity. Those results indicate that Usnea sp. is a good bioindicator of the atmospheric volcanic emissions in relation to environmental gradient.     

Copper availability assessment of Cu-contaminated vineyard soils using black oat cultivation and chemical extractants

Grapevines grown on acid soils with low fertility in southern Brazil are treated with intense foliar applications of copper (Cu) fungicides, resulting in an increased level of Cu in the soil and increased toxicity. The present study evaluated the accumulation and bioavailability of Cu, and soils with varying levels of Cu from the main producing regions of southern Brazil were collected. The forms of Cu present in the soil were assessed using chemical extractants; additionally, oat cultivation was performed, reflecting the use of the plant as an indicator of Cu bioavailability. Cu accumulated in the topsoil, mainly in bioavailable forms, and there was also an increase of Cu up to a depth of 0.4 m. Cu was primarily found in the mineral fraction, with apparent saturation of the soil organic matter functional groups. Inceptisol and Alfisol soils with a long history of cupric fungicide application were found to have levels of Cu toxic to oat plants. Furthermore, accumulated copper in Alfisol soil from the Campanha Gaúcha region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul had higher bioavailability compared to Cu accumulated in Inceptisol soil from the Serra Gaúcha region. In addition, the copper concentration in roots was found to serve as an indicator of Cu bioavailability in soil, but not of copper phytotoxicity in plants.