Apocynaceae sensun strictum from the Mucuge Municipal Park, Bahia, Brazil, including the valid publication of two names in Mandevilla Lindl.

Apocynaceae sensun strictum from the Mucuge Municipal Park, Bahia, Brazil, including the valid publication of two names in Mandevilla Lindl. The flora of Rauvolfioideae and Apocynoideae, which together form Apocynaceae s.s., from the Mucuge Municipal Park, Chapada Diamantina, State of Bahia, Brazil, is presented. Eight species and five genera were recognized. Mandevilla is the most diverse genus, With four species: M. scabra (Hoffmans. ex Roem. & Schult.) K. Schum., M. tenuifolia (J.C. Mikan) Woodson, M. bahiensis (Woodson) M.F. Sales & Kinoshita-Gouvea, and M.microphylla (Stadelm.) M.F. Sales & Kinoshita-Gouvea, the last two are a new status and a new combination, respectively, whose names are being validly published here. The four remaining genera are each represented by one species: Couma rigida Mull. Arg., Stipecoma peltigera (Stadelm.) Mull Arg,, Temnadenia violacea (Veil.) Miers, and Himatanthus bracteatus (A. DC.) Woodson. Identification key, descriptions, comments and illustrations are presented for every species.

Metal contamination in urban park soils of SA o pound Paulo

There has been little research on metal concentration levels in urban soils of SA o pound Paulo, a city with 19 million inhabitants with severe pollution problems. In the present study, the concentration of As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Pb, Sb and Zn, were determined by INAA and XRF in surface soil samples from 7 public parks located within SA o pound Paulo city. The results obtained showed that soils of SA o pound Paulo public parks present concentration levels of the studied elements higher than the reference values for soils in SA o pound Paulo State. Traffic related elements such as Cu, Pb and Zn presented high concentrations in parks located near avenues of highly dense traffic and may be associated to vehicular sources.

Risk assessment of trihalomethanes from tap water in Fortaleza, Brazil

The cancer risks (CR) by oral ingestion, dermal absorption, and inhalation exposure of trihalomethanes (THM) from tap water of ten districts in Fortaleza, Brazil were estimated. The mean levels of THM compounds were obtained in Fortaleza tap water as follow: 63.9 mu g L(-1) for chloroform (CHCl(3)), 40.0 mu g L(-1) for bromodichloromethane (CHBrCl(2)), and 15.6 mu g L(-1) for dibromochloromethane (CHBr(2)Cl). Bromoform (CHBr(3)) was not detected. The mean CR for THMs in tap water is 3.96 x 10(-4). The results indicate that Fortaleza residents have a higher CR by inhalation than dermal absorption and oral ingestion. The CR for CHCl(3) contributes with 68% as compared with the total CR, followed by CHBrCl(2) (21%), and CHBr(2)Cl (11%). The hazard index (HI) is about ten times lower than unity, not indicating non-cancer effects.