Cerium-modified iron oxides applied as catalysts in the heterogeneous Fenton system for degradation of cephalexin

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The effect of incorporation of different amounts of cerium on iron oxides and different heat treatment temperatures was evaluated for the degradation...     

Lung function among residents from the largest coal region in Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Coal mining and burning activities in coal-fired power plants are among the most polluting activities in developing countries. In Brazil, the Candiota...     

Characterization of soil fauna under the influence of mercury atmospheric deposition in Atlantic Forest,Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

The increasing levels of mercury (Hg) found in the atmosphere arising from anthropogenic sources, have been the object of great concern in the past two decades in industrialized countries. Brazil is the seventh country with the highest rate of mercury in the atmosphere. The major input of Hg to ecosystems is through atmospheric deposition (wet and dry), being transported in the atmosphere over large distances. The forest biomes are of strong importance in the atmosphere/soil cycling of elemental Hg through foliar uptake and subsequent transference to the soil through litter, playing an important role as sink of this element. Soil microarthropods are keys to understanding the soil ecosystem, and for such purpose were characterized by the soil fauna of two Units of Forest Conservation of the state of the Rio de Janeiro, inwhich one of the areas suffer quite interference from petrochemicals and industrial anthropogenic activities and other area almost exempts of these perturbations. The results showed that soil and litter of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil tend to stock high mercury concentrations, which could affect the abundance and richness of soil fauna, endangering its biodiversity and thereby the functioning of ecosystems.     

A challenge to the assumed generalizability of prediction and countermeasure for risky driving: different factors predict different risky driving behaviors

In road safety, it may be debated whether all risky behaviors are sufficiently similar to be explained by similar factors. The often assumed generalizability of the factors that influence risky driving behaviors has been inadequately tested. Study 1 (N=116) examined the role of demographic, personality and attitudinal factors in the prediction of a range of risky driving behaviors, for young drivers. Results illustrated that different driving behaviors were predicted by different factors (e.g., speeding was predicted by authority--rebellion, while drink driving was predicted by sensation seeking and optimism bias). Study 2 (N=127) examined the generalizability of these results to the general driving population. Study 1 results did not generalize. Predictive factors remained behavior-specific, but different predictor-behavior relationships were observed in the community sample. Overall, results suggest that future research and practice should focus on a multi-factor framework for specific risky driving behaviors, rather than assuming generalizability across behaviors and driving populations.     

Atmospheric BTX and polyaromatic hydrocarbons in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Polycyclic aromatic and monoaromatic (benzene, toluene and xylene, or BTX) hydrocarbons were monitored in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the summer of 1998/1999. The levels of these aromatic chemicals decreased with distance from main roads, indicating mobile sources are the main pollutant emitters in this Latin American city. Benzo[ghi]perylene/indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene and benzene/toluene ratios corroborate this idea. However, higher benzene/toluene ratios at one of the major access routes into the city suggest pollutant inputs from a nearby refinery. Literature data were reviewed in order to outline differences and similarities among sources and levels of aromatic pollutants in large urban agglomerations worldwide. Concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene and benzene, which are well-known carcinogenic chemicals, were relatively low in Rio de Janeiro. This fact was attributed to specific atmospheric conditions during the tropical summer and differences in vehicle fuel composition.     

Assessment of acid rock drainage pollutants release in the uranium mining site of Poços de Caldas--Brazil

We compared three different techniques to assess acid drainage occurrence connected to pyritic waste rock piles at a uranium mining and milling site in Po?os de Caldas--Brazil: (1) mass balance calculations, (2) column leaching experiments and (3) geochemical modelling. The study site was chosen because all the drainage coming from the pile is collected in one holding pond and a huge database (monitoring program) was available. The three independent methods predicted similar values for the intrinsic oxidation rate (IOR) (about 10(-9) kg m-3 s-1). We estimate the total time for consumption of all oxidizable material in the dump to be greater than 500 years. Geochemical model results showed a good agreement between predicted sulphate concentrations in relation to those found in the waste pile drainage, although the Al values were overestimated and pH values were underestimated.     

Effects of Recent Land-Use Practices on Soil Nutrients and Succession under Tropical Wet Forest in Costa Rica

The effects of a variety of agricultural land uses were studied using soil nutrients, forest structure, and species assemblages as indicators. We compared soil properties and successional forests between abandoned cacao ( Theobroma cacao ) and abandoned palm ( Bactris gasipaes ) orchards, abandoned pasture, and mature forest. These sites co-occupy an alluvial terrace soil ( Andic Dystropept ) at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. The agricultural sites were originally cleared of most or all forest vegetation approximately 30 years ago and went into succession approximately 7 years ago. Forest structure, species composition, soil nitrogen and phosphorus pools, and nitrogen-mineralization and nitrification rates were measured for each site. The abandoned palm orchard had lower basal area and stem density than other secondary forests of the same age. It also had significantly smaller nitrate (NaOH-extractable) and organic phosphorus pools and significantly lower net rates of nitrogen-mineralization and nitrification. It is evident that preserving tree cover does not necessarily maintain soil fertility. We found species richness and diversity in the secondary forests to be positively correlated with basal area at the time of abandonment.     

Abnormal gonadal morphology in intersex,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Echinogammarus marinus</Emphasis> (Amphipoda): a possible cause of reduced fecundity?

Recent reports have demonstrated a cost associated with intersexuality in Amphipoda, including reduced fecundity and fertility. In this study, the gross morphology of the gonads in normal and intersex Echinogammarus marinus (Amphipoda) were compared to determine whether resource allocation to gonadal tissue accounted for this reduced fitness. Evidence for the presence of the male sex-determining hormone, androgenic gland hormone (AGH), was compared between sexual phenotypes using MALDI mass spectrometry. Two distinct intersex phenotypes (‘male’ intersex and ‘female’ intersex) were found, with variation in gonadal structure corresponding with external phenotype. Examination of male intersexes revealed normal testicular development (testes, seminal vesicles and vas deferens), but also revealed the formation of an oviduct. Ovaries of intersex females showed normal ovarian development, but were reduced in length by approximately 20% due to the presence of vas deferens. The number of vas deferens in intersex females was equal to the number (one or two) of genital papillae. We hypothesise that the reduced ovarian length observed in intersex females is a likely cause of the reduced brood size previously reported in intersex females of this species. Variation in the sexual phenotype corresponded both to development of the androgenic gland and to expression of a peptide fragment corresponding to the A chain of androgenic gland hormone (AGH). Androgenic glands and a putative AGH peptide were present in males. However, in both normal and intersex females, the androgenic glands were only present in a rudiment form and the peptide was not detected. Intersex males were found to possess abnormal glands that appeared hypertrophied. However, AGH peptides were not detected, supporting the suggestion that the intersex phenotype is manifested via perturbations of AGH.     

Relations between innovation management and organisational sustainability: a case study in a Brazilian higher education institution

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The objective of this work was to analyse the relations between innovation management and organisational sustainability in a Brazilian higher education...     

Translocation studies of 137Cs and 90Sr in bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris): simulation of fallout

In case of an accident at a nuclear power plant with liberation of radioactive material into the atmosphere, knowledge about the behavior of plant species when in contact with radionuclides is indispensable for safety reasons. The leaf-fruit translocation is an important route through which agricultural products are contaminated by radionuclides. To quantify the leaf-fruit translocation factors for 137Cs and 90Sr in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) an experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with a randomized block design. 137Cs activity was determined by gamma-ray spectrometry, while chemical separation followed by beta counting of 90Y was used for 90Sr determination. The model applied for translocation indicated functional dependence between the moment of tracer application and the physiological development of the bean plant. Translocation factors obtained for 137Cs and 90Sr were 0.16 and less than 0.005, respectively.