Os reservatórios eutrofizados da região tropical semiárida atuam como emissores ou como sequestradores de dióxido de carbono?

The aquatic ecosystems can play a role as carbon-dioxide-source or carbon-dioxide-sink systems due to the high predominance of heterotrophic or autotrophic metabolism. The primary production can strongly affect the carbon balance (CO2) through the consumption of carbon dioxide in the photosynthesis, especially in eutrophic environment, acting as a carbon sink. The present study tested the hypothesis that the eutrophic reservoirs in tropical semi-arid region are carbon dioxide-sink systems due to the high primary productivity presented in these systems. Five Brazilian reservoirs from the semi-arid in the northeast region were monitored monthly during four years (2010 to 2013) with a prolonged drought event identified during the study. The results showed an increasing level of eutrophication over the period of prolonged drought, with the predominance of autotrophy. Significant negative correlations were observed between the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) (p<0,001) and chlorophyll-a in the Boqueirão, Passagem das Traíras, Dourado and Gargalheiras reservoirs, showing a pattern of the carbon dioxide-sink systems. However, this pattern was not found in Cruzeta reservoir. In summary, in the tropical semi-arid region, hydrological and morphometric variables can lead to different behaviors of the water-supply reservoirs on the carbon metabolism. The eutrophic reservoirs evaluated showed a negative relationship between pCO2 and Chl-a, which suggests that these water bodies show an autotrophic metabolism and behave as carbon dioxide- sink systems

Avaliação da correlação entre os parâmetros, carbono orgânico total e elementos tóxicos, em solo de um posto de serviço e revenda de combustíveis

Today a major responsibility for the contamination of soil and groundwater and surface water are establishments known as gas stations of fuel which has attracted increasing attention from both the general population as the state agencies of environmental control due to leaks in storage tanks and mainly to disruption of pipe corrosion of tanks and pumping. Other services, like oil changes and car wash are also causes for concern in this type of establishment. These leaks can cause or waste produced, and the contamination of aquifers, serious health problems and public safety, since most of these stations located in urban areas. Based on this, the work was to evaluate soil contamination of a particular service station and fuel sales in the city of Natal, through the quantification of heavy metals like Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn of total organic carbon (TOC) and organic matter using different techniques such as optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma source (ICP OES), Total Organic Carbon analyzer and gravimetric analysis respectively. And also to characterize the soil through particle size analysis. Samples were taken in 21 georeferenced points and collected in the same period. The soils sampled in sampling stations P3, P5, P6, P10, P11, P12, P13, P14, P15, P17, P18 and P20 showed the smallest size fractions ranging from fine sand to medium sand. The other study sites ranged from fine sand to medium sand, except the point P8 showed that only the type size medium sand and P19, indicating a particle size of the coarse type. The small correlation of organic matter with the elements studied in this work suggests that these are not of anthropogenic origin but geochemical support

A pegada de carbono como um dos indicadores de sustentabilidade para medição da responsabilidade socioambiental empresarial: um estudo de caso na unidade sede da Petrobras em Natal-RN

As a contemporary tendency, it is been evidenced that the environmental changes theme, already admitted as a concernment to international economical and political reality, is also gaining repercussion on industrial and business sector. Firms are implementing actions on trial to minimize their own greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions impacts. However, the great majority of those actions of Corporative Social-Environmental Responsibility (CSR) are referred only to direct emissions of the main production systems. Direct emissions are those derived of an isolate process, without considering the upstream and downstream processes emissions, which respond for the majority of emissions originated because of respective firm‟s production system existence. Because the greenhouse effect occurs globally and the GHG emissions contribute to the environmental changes independently of their origin, it must be taken into account the whole productive life cycle of products and systems, since the energy invested on resources extraction and necessary materials to the final disposal. To do so, it must be investigated all relevant steps of a product/production system life cycle, tracking all activities which emit greenhouse gases, directly or indirectly. This amount of emissions consists in the firm‟s Carbon Footprint. This research purpose is to defend the Carbon Footprint relevance and its adoption viability to be used as an Environmental Indicator on measurement/assessment of CSR. It has been realized a study case on Petrobras‟s seat unity at Natal-Brazil, assessing part of its Carbon Footprint. It has been used the software GEMIS 4.6 to do the emissions quantifying. The items measured were the direct emissions of the own unity vehicles and indirect emissions of offset paper (A4), energy and disposable plastic cups consumed. To 2009, these emissions were 3.811,94 tCO2eq. We may conclude that Carbon Footprint quantification is indispensable to the knowledge of real emissions caused by a productive process existence, must serving as basis to CSR decisions about the environmental changes reversion challenge

Hidróxidos duplos lamelares de magnésio e alumínio modificados com carbonato e p123 para adsorção de dióxido de carbono

Muitos mecanismos provocados pela ação humana vêm gerando um aumento na queima de combustíveis fósseis e processos químicos (produtos orgânicos, carvão, madeira, óleo diesel, gasolina e outros derivados de petróleo) e, consequentemente, há um aumento na emissão de CO2 na atmosfera. Uma das alternativas para a captura desse poluente é o processo de adsorção, o qual pode ajudar na redução do CO2. As hidrotalcitas ou hidróxidos duplos lamelares (HDL s) estão dentre esses materiais estudados, já que apresentam alta estabilidade e uma boa porosidade, tornando-se assim um promissor adsorvente de gases poluentes. Os HDL s formam um grupo de argilas do tipo aniônico que consiste em camadas positivamente carregadas de óxido de metal (ou hidróxido de metal) com intercamadas de ânions. Foi constatado que ânions que possuem duas cargas negativas, estabilizam muito mais que ânions monovalentes, sendo o carbonato o mais estável dos ânions divalentes. Neste trabalho, foi proposta uma modificação na síntese direta através da co-precipitação a pH constante utilizando sais de cátions divalentes (Mg2+) e trivalentes (Al3+) reportados na literatura. Durante a síntese dos HDL s retirou-se o carbonato, bem como, utilizou-se um copolímero como um template para o alargamento das lamelas. As amostras foram caracterizadas utilizando as técnicas de DRX, TG/DTG, FTIR, MEV/EDX, MET e adsorção e dessorção de N2. Os dados obtidos indicam que a estrutura, mesmo após a modificação, apresentou resultados condizentes com os encontrados na literatura. Dentre as várias aplicações dos HDL s foi realizado o estudo da adsorção do CO2. A capacidade de adsorção do material foi testada de acordo com o tempo de contato entre o adsorvente e o adsorbato, sendo esperado que os materiais tratados com template apresentassem um maior desempenho

Avaliação da correlação entre os parâmetros, carbono orgânico total e elementos tóxicos, em solo de um posto de serviço e revenda de combustíveis

Today a major responsibility for the contamination of soil and groundwater and surface water are establishments known as gas stations of fuel which has attracted increasing attention from both the general population as the state agencies of environmental control due to leaks in storage tanks and mainly to disruption of pipe corrosion of tanks and pumping. Other services, like oil changes and car wash are also causes for concern in this type of establishment. These leaks can cause or waste produced, and the contamination of aquifers, serious health problems and public safety, since most of these stations located in urban areas. Based on this, the work was to evaluate soil contamination of a particular service station and fuel sales in the city of Natal, through the quantification of heavy metals like Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn of total organic carbon (TOC) and organic matter using different techniques such as optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma source (ICP OES), Total Organic Carbon analyzer and gravimetric analysis respectively. And also to characterize the soil through particle size analysis. Samples were taken in 21 georeferenced points and collected in the same period. The soils sampled in sampling stations P3, P5, P6, P10, P11, P12, P13, P14, P15, P17, P18 and P20 showed the smallest size fractions ranging from fine sand to medium sand. The other study sites ranged from fine sand to medium sand, except the point P8 showed that only the type size medium sand and P19, indicating a particle size of the coarse type. The small correlation of organic matter with the elements studied in this work suggests that these are not of anthropogenic origin but geochemical support