Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The Fundão Dam collapsed, on November 5th, 2015, dumping more than 50 million/m3 of iron ore tailings, enriched with metals, into the Doce River... 相似文献
Background, aim, and scope Selenium (Se) has been shown to reduce mercury (Hg) bioavailability and trophic transfer in aquatic ecosystems. The study
of methylmercury (MeHg) and Se bioaccumulation by plankton is therefore of great significance in order to obtain a better
understanding of the estuarine processes concerning Hg and Se accumulation and biomagnification throughout the food web. In
the western South Atlantic, few studies have documented trace element and MeHg in fish tissues. No previous study about trace
elements and MeHg in plankton has been conducted concerning tropical marine food webs. Se, Hg, and MeHg were determined in
two size classes of plankton, microplankton (70–290 μm) and mesoplankton (≥290 μm), and also in muscle tissues and livers
of four fish species of different trophic levels (Mugil liza, a planktivorous fish; Bagre spp., an omnivorous fish; Micropogonias furnieri, a benthic carnivorous fish; and Centropomus undecimalis, a pelagic carnivorous fish) from a polluted estuary in the Brazilian Southeast coast, Guanabara Bay. Biological and ecological
factors such as body length, feeding habits, and trophic transfer were considered in order to outline the relationships between
these two elements. The differences in trace element levels among the different trophic levels were investigated.
Materials and methods Fish were collected from July 2004 to August 2005 at Guanabara Bay. Plankton was collected from six locations within the bay
in August 2005. Total mercury (THg) was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) with sodium borohydride
as a reducing agent. MeHg analysis was conducted by digesting samples with an alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution followed
by dithizone-toluene extraction. MeHg was then identified and quantified in the toluene layer by gas chromatography with an
electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Se was determined by AAS using graphite tube with Pin platform and Zeeman background correction.
Results and discussion Total mercury, MeHg, and Se increased with plankton size class. THg and Se values were below 2.0 and 4.8 μg g−1 dry wt in microplankton and mesoplankton, respectively. A large excess of molar concentrations of Se in relation to THg was
observed in both plankton size class and both fish tissues. Plankton presented the lowest concentrations of this element.
In fish, the liver showed the highest THg and Se concentrations. THg and Se in muscle were higher in Centropomus undecimalis (3.4 and 25.5 nmol g−1) than in Micropogonias furnieri (2.9 and 15.3 nmol g−1), Bagre spp (1.3 and 3.4 nmol g−1) and Mugil liza (0.3 and 5.1 nmol g−1), respectively. The trophic transfer of THg and Se was observed between trophic levels from prey (considering microplankton
and mesoplankton) to top predator (fish). The top predators in this ecosystem, Centropomus undecimalis and Micropogonias furnieri, presented similar MeHg concentrations in muscles and liver. Microplankton presented lower ratios of methylmercury to total
mercury concentration (MeHg/THg) (34%) than those found in mesoplankton (69%) and in the muscle of planktivorous fish, Mugil liza (56%). The other fish species presented similar MeHg/THg in muscle tissue (of around 100%). M. liza showed lower MeHg/THg in the liver than C. undecimalis (35%), M. furnieri (31%) and Bagre spp. (22%). Significant positive linear relationships were observed between the molar concentrations of THg and Se in the
muscle tissue of M. furnieri and M. liza. These fish species also showed significant inverse linear relationships between hepatic MeHg and Se, suggesting a strong
antagonistic effect of Se on MeHg assimilation and accumulation.
Conclusions Differences found among the concentrations THg, MeHg, and Se in microplankton, mesozooplankton, and fishes were probably related
to the preferred prey and bioavailability of these elements in the marine environment. The increasing concentration of MeHg
and Se at successively higher trophic levels of the food web of Guanabara Bay corresponds to a transfer between trophic levels
from the lower trophic level to the top-level predator, suggesting that MeHg and Se were biomagnified throughout the food
web. Hg and Se were positively correlated with the fish standard length, suggesting that larger and older fish bioaccumulated
more of these trace elements. THg, MeHg, and Se were a function of the plankton size.
Recommendations and perspectives There is a need to assess the role of selenium in mercury accumulation in tropical ecosystems. Without further studies of
the speciation of selenium in livers of fishes from this region, the precise role of this element, if any, cannot be verified
in positively affecting mercury accumulation. Further studies of this element in the study of marine species should include
liver samples containing relatively high concentrations of mercury. A basin-wide survey of selenium in fishes is also recommended. 相似文献
Organisms in the environment are exposed to a mixture of pollutants. Therefore the purpose of this study was to analyze the mutagenicity of organic and inorganic responses in two fractions of particulates (TSP and PM2.5) and extracts (organic and aqueous). The mutagenicity of organic and aqueous particulate matter extracts from urban-industrial and urban-residential areas was evaluated by Salmonella/microsome assay, through the microsuspension method, using strain TA98 with and without liver metabolization. Additionally, strains YG1021 and YG1024 (nitro-sensitive) were used for organic extracts. Aqueous extracts presented negative responses for mutagenesis and cytotoxicity was detected in 50% of the samples. In these extracts the presence of potential bioavailable metals was identified. All organic extracts presented mutagens with a higher potential associated with PM2.5. This study presents a first characterization of PM2.5 in Brazil, through the Salmonella/microsome assay. The evaluation strategy detected the anthropic influence of groups of compounds characteristically found in urban and industrial areas, even in samples with PM values in accordance with quality standards. Thus, the use of a genotoxic approach in areas under different anthropic influences will favor the adoption of preventive measures in the health/environment relation. 相似文献
Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This work presents a bibliographic review of the literature regarding the simultaneous removal of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and... 相似文献
Norovirus (NoV) is recognized as the most common cause of foodborne outbreaks. In 2014, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred on a cruise ship in Brazil, and NoV became the suspected etiology. Here we present the molecular identification of the NoV strains and the use of sequence analysis to determine modes of virus transmission. Food (cream cheese, tuna salad, grilled fish, orange mousse, and vegetables soup) and clinical samples were analyzed by ELISA, conventional RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, and sequencing. Genogroup GII NoV was identified by ELISA and conventional RT-PCR in fecal samples from 5 of 12 patients tested (41.7%), and in the orange mousse food sample by conventional RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. Two fecal GII NoV samples and the orange mousse GII NoV sample were successfully genotyped as GII.Pe (ORF 1), revealed 98.0–98.8% identities among them, and shared phylogenetically distinct cluster. Establishing the source of a NoV outbreak can be a challenging task. In this report, the molecular analysis of the partial RdRp NoV gene provided a powerful tool for genotyping (GII.Pe) and tracking of outbreak-related samples. In addition, the same fast and simple extraction methods applied to clinical samples could be successfully used for complex food matrices, and have the potential to be introduced in routine laboratories for screening foods for presence of NoV. 相似文献
Jundiá (Rhamdia quelen, Quoy and Gaimard), a South American teleostean fish, was exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of cypermethrin (30% and 45% of the 48-h LC(50) value of 0.265 ppm) for 2, 4 or 8 days. Serum biochemical and hematological values and behavioral changes were studied. The 30% LC(50), 0.08 ppm, produced significant increases in Mg(2+), P, K(+), creatinine, urea, glucose, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels, and reduction in total proteins and triglycerides in serum. The 45% LC(50), 0.12 ppm, produced significant increase in Na(+), Mg(2+), P, K(+), creatinine, urea, glucose, cholesterol, and alkaline phosphatase, and reduction in triglycerides and alanine aminotransferase levels in serum. At this concentration, the fish showed behavior changes such as hyper-excitability, asphyxia, and widening of mouth and operculum. The hematological values remained normal, except for hemoglobin concentrations and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, which increased with exposure to 0.08 ppm and 0.12 ppm cypermethrin. Results of the present work show that biochemical analysis of serum can be useful to detect incipient cypermethrin intoxication of the shoal. 相似文献
The potential use of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/graphite nanosheets (GNS) as a biodegradable nanocomposite has been explored. PHBV/GNS nanocomposites films were prepared by solution casting at various concentrations of GNS—0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 wt% GNS. The films were exposed to artificial ultraviolet radiation (UV) during 52 h. The effect of GNS on PHBV photodegradation was investigated and compared to neat PHBV film. The artificial photodegradation induced changes in physical (weight loss), chemical carbonyl index by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal degree of crystallinity and melting temperature by differential scanning calorimetry and morphological scanning electron microscopy characteristics. Based on the results obtained from aforementioned analyzes it was verified that GNS inhibits the oxidative degradation of PHBV matrix. 相似文献
Regional Environmental Change - The use and trade of animals in traditional medicine involves many different species, some of which are threatened with extinction. Thus, evaluating biological and... 相似文献
We report the preparation of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-modified polyvinylidene fluoride electrospun fibers and their use as a novel adsorbent material for the removal of the anionic dye Methyl Orange (MO) from aqueous media. This novel adsorbent material can be used to selectively remove MO on a wide pH range (3.0–10.0), with a maximum capacity of 143.8 mg/g at pH 3.0. When used in a recirculating filtration system, the maximum absorption capacity was reached in a shorter time (20 min) than that observed for batch mode experiments (360 min). Based on the analyses of the kinetics and adsorption isotherm data, one can conclude that the predominant mechanism of interaction between the membrane and the dissolved dye molecules is electrostatic. Besides, considering the estimated values for the Gibbs energy, and entropy and enthalpy changes, it was established that the adsorption process is spontaneous and occurs in an endothermic manner. The good mechanical and environmental stability of these membranes allowed their use in at least 20 consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles, without significant loss of their characteristics. We suggest that the physical-chemical characteristics of PEDOT make these hybrid mats a promising adsorbent material for use in water remediation protocols and effluent treatment systems. 相似文献
The objective of this study was to impregnate the surface of palm coconut activated carbon with nanoparticles of iron compounds using Moringa oleifera leaf extracts and pomegranate leaf by a green synthesis method and to evaluate its adsorption capacity for sodium diclofenac. The adsorbent material was characterized by zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption/desorption (BET method), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) coupled to dispersive energy spectrometry X-ray (EDX) methods. To evaluate the adsorption capacity of sodium diclofenac, the influence of pH, kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamic properties were analysed. The impregnated adsorbents showed efficiency in the adsorption of sodium diclofenac. The kinetic model that best fit the experimental data was the pseudo-second-order model, and the equilibrium model was the Langmuir model. As for the thermodynamic study, it was verified that the adsorption reaction for all adsorbents occurs in a spontaneous, favourable way, and it is endothermic by physisorption. Therefore, this process is promising because it is a clean and non-toxic method when compared with chemical methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles.