Exposure of workers in mineral processing industries in Brazil

The mining, milling and processing of uranium and thorium bearing minerals may result in radiation doses to workers. A preliminary survey pilot program, that included six mines in Brazil (two coal mines, one niobium mine, one nickel mine, one gold mine and one phosphate mine), was launched in order to determine the need to control the radioactive exposure of the mine-workers. Our survey consisted of the collection and analysis of urine samples, complemented by feces and air samples. The concentrations of uranium, thorium and polonium were measured in these samples and compared to background data from family members of the workers living in the same dwelling and from residents from the general population of Rio de Janeiro. The results from the coal mines indicated that the inhalation of radon progeny may be a source of occupational exposure. The workers from the nickel, gold and phosphate mines that were visited do not require a program to control internal radiological doses. The niobium mine results showed that in some areas of the industry exposure to thorium and uranium might occur.     

Seasonal rhythm in a Mediterranean coastal fish community as monitored by a cabled observatory

To adequately describe seasonal rhythms in habitat utilization by fish communities, observations are needed that occur at a relatively high frequency and over large temporal windows. For the first time, images collected from a cabled video-observatory (the western Mediterranean expandable SEAfloor OBservatory; OBSEA) were utilized to examine habitat utilization by coastal fishes. Over the course of a year, hourly digital images of the water column and an artificial reef were obtained during daylight hours. For each image, the total number of species, an estimate of the abundance of individuals, and the Shannon Diversity Index were quantified. A total of 22 fish species commonly associated with nearshore western Mediterranean habitats were identified, and significant spatial (water column vs. artificial reef), seasonal (spring, summer, autumn, and winter), and daily (morning, midday, and sunset) differences in habitat utilization occurred. Four species (Diplodus vulgaris, Diplodus cervinus, Diplodus sargus, and Scorpaena porcus) were associated with the artificial reef, while one species (Pagrus pagrus) chiefly occurred in the water column. Chromis chromis and Diplodus annularis occurred at the site more frequently in the winter and autumn, respectively, while 14 other species utilized the site more frequently in either the spring (8 spp) or summer (6 spp). In addition, Dentex dentex and Spicara maena occurred more frequently at sunset, while D. cervinus displayed a crepuscular rhythm (occurring more frequently in the morning and at sunset). Species diversity was highest in the summer and lowest in the winter. If not taken into account when planning in situ sampling, such seasonal and/or diel differences may lead to spurious estimates of population sizes and biodiversity. We suggest that cabled video-observatories offer a non-invasive and reliable technology for faunistic sampling and population assessment in coastal water of the Mediterranean and likely elsewhere.     

Sustainability: A Study of the Level of Ecological Behavior of Postgraduate Students in Brazil

The decline in the supply of natural resources is a cause for concern, especially given continued worldwide population growth. New habits and attitudes toward resource use are slowly being introduced into the everyday lives of persons residing in a number of countries. The term “ecological behavior” refers to acting in favor of the environment, whether these actions are voluntarily or not, or learned or not (Pato & Tamayo, 2006 ). The general objective of this study is to identify the environmental behavior—one of several terms used interchangeably with ecological behavior—of graduate students from a Brazilian federal institution of higher education. We chose this particular group because many of them already act, or will act, as professors. Thus, by virtue of their positions, they will function as opinion leaders who will influence the education of future professionals, establishing a chain through which shared values can gradually change the environmental behavior of society.     

Partial neutralization of rain by seaspray: the case of Recôncavo, Bahia-Brazil

In the Recôncavo of Bahia (located between 12°33′ and 13°10′S and 38°00′and 39°00′W), there are significant discharges of SO₂ and NO_x due to local, industrial and urban activities. The incoming air masses from the Atlantic Ocean are enriched with seaspray, which neutralizes part of the rain acidity. The extent of seaspray neutralization of rain acidity was quantified in four sites of the region, each with different loads of seaspray. Rain samples were obtained daily at the same time, integrating the precipitation of the previous 24 h, using wet-only collectors and analyzed for pH by potentiometry and for sodium by flame photometry. The amount of rain acidity in Recôncavo neutralized by seaspray ranged from <1% up to 88% and depended on the site. On average, neutralization ranged from 5% to 18%.     

Curcumin and Its Analogs as a Therapeutic Strategy in Infections Caused by RNA Genome Viruses

Food and Environmental Virology - The use of natural resources for the prevention and treatment of diseases considered fatal to humanity has evolved. Several medicinal plants have nutritional and...     

Environmental Surveillance of Polioviruses in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil, in Support to the Activities of Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Wild polioviruses still remain endemic in three countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria) and re-emergency of wild polio has been reported in previously polio-free countries. Environmental surveillance has been used as a supplementary tool in monitoring the circulation of wild poliovirus (PVs) and/or vaccine-derived PVs even in the absence of acute flaccid paralysis cases. This study aimed to monitor the presence of polioviruses in wastewater samples collected at one wastewater treatment plant located in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From December 2011 to June 2012 and from September to December 2012, 31 samples were collected and processed. RD and L20B cell cultures were able to isolate PVs and non-polio enteroviruses in 27/31 samples. Polioviruses were isolated in eight samples (type 1 Sabin = 1, type 2 Sabin = 5, and type 3 Sabin = 2). Vaccine-derived polioviruses were not detected nor evidence of recombination with other PVs or non-polio enterovirus serotypes were observed among the isolates. The Sabin-related serotypes 2 and 3 presented nucleotide substitutions in positions associated with the neurovirulent phenotype at the 5′-UTR. Changes in important Amino acid residues at VP1 were also observed in the serotypes 2 and 3. Environmental surveillance has been used successfully in monitoring the circulation of PVs and non-polio enteroviruses and it is of crucial importance in the final stages of the WHO global polio eradication initiative. Our results show the continuous circulation of Sabin-like PVs and non-polio enteroviruses in the analyzed area during the study period.     

Applications of life cycle assessment and cost analysis in health care waste management

The establishment of rules to manage Health Care Waste (HCW) is a challenge for the public sector. Regulatory agencies must ensure the safety of waste management alternatives for two very different profiles of generators: (1) hospitals, which concentrate the production of HCW and (2) small establishments, such as clinics, pharmacies and other sources, that generate dispersed quantities of HCW and are scattered throughout the city. To assist in developing sector regulations for the small generators, we evaluated three management scenarios using decision-making tools. They consisted of a disinfection technique (microwave, autoclave and lime) followed by landfilling, where transportation was also included. The microwave, autoclave and lime techniques were tested at the laboratory to establish the operating parameters to ensure their efficiency in disinfection. Using a life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost analysis, the decision-making tools aimed to determine the technique with the best environmental performance. This consisted of evaluating the eco-efficiency of each scenario. Based on the life cycle assessment, microwaving had the lowest environmental impact (12.64 Pt) followed by autoclaving (48.46 Pt). The cost analyses indicated values of US$ 0.12 kg^?1 for the waste treated with microwaves, US$ 1.10 kg^?1 for the waste treated by the autoclave and US$ 1.53 kg^?1 for the waste treated with lime. The microwave disinfection presented the best eco-efficiency performance among those studied and provided a feasible alternative to subsidize the formulation of the policy for small generators of HCW.