Effect of fish density during transportation on stress and mortality of juvenile Tambaqui Colossoma macropomum

The increased demand for juvenile tambaqui Colossoma macropomum for grow-out ponds and stocking programs in the Amazon state of Brazil has increased the transportation of this species. This study was designed to determine the optimum density of juvenile tambaqui during transportation in closed containers. Fish (51.9 ± 3.3 g and 14.9 ± 0.4 cm) were packed in sealed plastic bags and transported for 10 h at four densities: 78, 156, 234, and 312 kg/m3. After transportation, fish from each density were kept in separate 500-L tanks for 96 h. Mortality, 96-h cumulative mortality, water quality, and blood parameters (hematocrit, plasma cortisol, and glucose) were monitored. Fish mortality after transportation was significantly lower at densities of 78 and 156 kg/m3 than at 234 and 312 kg/m3. Cumulative mortality was significantly lower at a density of 78 kg/m3. Dissolved oxygen after 10 h of transportation remained high at a density of 78 kg/m3, but reached critically low values at all other densities. Ammonia concentration was highest at the lowest density and was lower at higher densities. Carbon dioxide concentration was lowest at the density of 78 kg/m3 but higher in the other treatments. Plasma glucose and cortisol increased significantly immediately after transportation at densities of 156, 234, and 312 kg/m3, returning to control values by 24 h. The best density for juvenile tambaqui during a 10-h transportation haul in a closed container was 78 kg/m3. At this density there was no fish mortality, water quality was kept within acceptable values, and fish were not stressed.

Monitoramento sanitário de um sistema integrado de tratamento de águas residuárias da suinocultura

Objective. To assess the potential for contamination of wastewaters from pig farming. Methods. Wastewaters from pig farming were stored in a tank. After 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days of hydraulic retention, they were added to lysimeters filled with argillaceous, sandy, or medium soil. Finally, these lysimeters were submitted to simulations of either a rainy season or a dry season. The number of colony-forming units (CFUs) of total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and fecal streptococci was measured in the effluents of the storage tank (for the various periods of hydraulic retention), in the percolate from the lysimeters, and in the three types of soil. The microbiological analyses were carried out using the membrane filter technique. The pH analyses were done potentiometrically. Results. For the three microorganisms, the largest decrease in bacterial counts in the storage tanks occurred with 90 or 120 days of retention. There was a marked decrease in the bacterial count in the percolates of the three soils. For the three soil types the greatest reduction in bacterial counts was found in medium soil, due to its acidity (pH < 7.0). Hydraulic retention was not sufficient to ensure the sanitary adequacy of the wastewaters and their use for irrigation, given that fecal coliform values were above 1 000 CFU per 100 mL. Therefore, adding the residues to the soil was considered a second stage of treatment. Conclusions. The retention of wastewaters followed by adding them to soil was effective in minimizing the contaminating effect of pig farming residues. The storage time for wastewaters from pig farming could be decreased from 120 to 90 days.

Crescimento e sobrevivência do camarão-rosa (Farfantepenaeus paulensis) na fase de berçário em meio heterotrófico

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential of a heterotrophic rearing media (microbial flocs) on the growth and survival of Farfantepenaeus paulensis reared in the nursery phase. For 30 days, F. paulensis post-larvae (0.019 ± 0.01g) were reared in nine 40-liter plastic tanks at the density of 500 post-larvae m -2. Three treatments with three replicates each were used: rearing in the presence of microbial flocs with ration supply (FLOC + R); rearing in the sole presence of flocs - no ration supplied (FLOC); and rearing in clear water plus with ration supply (AC + R). The presence of microbial flocs had no significant effect on growth and survival in the nursery rearing of F. paulensis.

Fitase em rações para tilápia-do-nilo na fase de crescimento

This research was carried out to compare the effect of phytase on performance, in the incorporation and excretion phosphorus in Nile tilápia. Four diets were used: one standard (contol), composed by 3,200 DE kcal ED/kg of ration and 30.0% CP and supplemented with phosphorus (4.0% of dicalcium phosphate), considering the treatment control, and others three, without phosphorus supplementation, with different phytase levels (1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 uf/kg), with four replication, per a period of 82 days. Circular tanks of fiber glass, with constant flow and aeration were used. The results demonstrated that the use of phytase in diets for fish production can reduce the levels of inorganic phosphorus in the diets and minimizing the impacts caused by phosphorus in the production system and in the natural environment and also can improve the productivity, increasing the amount of feed to be supplied and, consequently, facilitating the increase of biomass of fish to be used per production area. © 2007 Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia.

Tratamento de efluentes de carcinicultura por macrófitas aquáticas flutuantes

The efficiency of systems composed of two species of floating aquatic macrophyte (Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes) to treat effluents from shrimp culture was evaluated in this research. The effluent originated from a pond populated with Macrobrachium amazonicum. Treatment systems consisted of 12 experimental tanks with aquatic macrophyte and three tanks without plants (control). Water samples were collected from the fresh water supply and before and after passing through the treatment systems. There are no differences in the removal of nutrients between the two species. The higher nutrient removal was observed for total phosphorus (41.9% by control; 71.6% by E. crassipes; 69.9 by P. stratiotes; 72.5% by E. crassipes + P. stratiotes and 72.1 by P. stratiotes + E. crassipes) and turbidity (30.6% by control; 80.2% by E. crassipes; 75.2 by P. stratiotes; 79.8% by E. crassipes + P. stratiotes and 81.5 by P. stratiotes + E. crassipes). The systems containing aquatic macrophytes were efficient in nitrogen and phosphorus removal from M. amazonicum culture. © 2008 Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia.

Meta-heuristic approaches for a soft drink industry problem

The present paper evaluates meta-heuristic approaches to solve a soft drink industry problem. This problem is motivated by a real situation found in soft drink companies, where the lot sizing and scheduling of raw materials in tanks and products in lines must be simultaneously determined. Tabu search, threshold accepting and genetic algorithms are used as procedures to solve the problem at hand. The methods are evaluated with a set of instance already available for this problem. This paper also proposes a new set of complex instances. The computational results comparing these approaches are reported. © 2008 IEEE.

Evaluating genetic algorithms with different population structures on a lot sizing and scheduling problem

This paper studies the use of different population structures in a Genetic Algorithm (GA) applied to lot sizing and scheduling problems. The population approaches are divided into two types: single-population and multi-population. The first type has a non-structured single population. The multi-population type presents non-structured and structured populations organized in binary and ternary trees. Each population approach is tested on lot sizing and scheduling problems found in soft drink companies. These problems have two interdependent levels with decisions concerning raw material storage and soft drink bottling. The challenge is to simultaneously determine the lot sizing and scheduling of raw materials in tanks and products in lines. Computational results are reported allowing determining the better population structure for the set of problem instances evaluated. Copyright 2008 ACM.

Qualidade química da água residual da criação de peixes para cultivo de alface em hidroponia

Aiming to evaluate the association of hydroponic lettuce cultivation with residues from a fish intensive breeding system, a project was carried out in the Aquaculture Center in the FCAV-UNESP at Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. A closed system was designed in order to allow the water to circulate through the fish tanks, a clarifier tank for removal of residues, a reservoir for biological conversion of ammonia into nitrate, and the hydroponic system. After this process, water returned back to the fish tanks. Three varieties of lettuce, constituting the treatments with four repetitions were evaluated. The results of the chemical analysis of the residual water from the fish tanks indicated the presence of the majority of the mineral nutrients necessary for vegetable development. Their concentration was close to that found in nutrient solutions, used for lettuce hydroponic cultivation, except for potassium and magnesium. The low concentration of magnesium in the water did not prevent lettuce development, although the plants presented visual symptoms of deficiency of this nutrient. Differences were not found between the varieties produced, regarding productivity and the mean weight of fresh plants.

Efeito da heterogeneidade ambiental na predação de girinos de Scinax fuscovarius e Physalaemus cuvieri por larvas de Odonata

The objective of this work were to analyze the effect of predation by Odonata naiads on two amphibian species with distinct habits - benthic and mid-water -and to verify whether the presence and architecture of macrophytes can mediate this interaction. All tadpoles and Odonata larvae were captured in a temporary pond. Sixteen tanks were used for three different treatments: Pistia, Salvinia and no macrophytes. Ten tadpoles of each species and two Odonata larvae were placed in each tank. The survival of tadpoles according to treatments was assessed through analysis of repeated measures. We concluded that the survival of P. cuvieri and S. fuscovarius tadpoles was not affected by the presence and architecture of the macrophytes (Pistia and Salvinia) or by their behavior.

Tabu search to solve the Synchronized and Integrated Two-Level Lot Sizing and Scheduling Problem

This paper proposes a tabu search approach to solve the Synchronized and Integrated Two-Level Lot Sizing and Scheduling Problem (SITLSP). It is a real-world problem, often found in soft drink companies, where the production process has two integrated levels with decisions concerning raw material storage and soft drink bottling. Lot sizing and scheduling of raw materials in tanks and products in bottling lines must be simultaneously determined. Real data provided by a soft drink company is used to make comparisons with a previous genetic algorithm. Computational results have demonstrated that tabu search outperformed genetic algorithm in all instances. Copyright 2011 ACM.

On nonlinear dynamics in a free fluid surface of a tank excited by a non-ideal power source

We investigate the nonlinear oscillations in a free surface of a fluid in a cylinder tank excited by non-ideal power source, an electric motor with limited power supply. We study the possibility of parametric resonance in this system, showing that the excitation mechanism can generate chaotic response. Additionally, the dynamics of parametrically excited surface waves in the tank can reveal new characteristics of the system. The fluid-dynamic system is modeled in such way as to obtain a nonlinear differential equation system. Numerical experiments are carried out to find the regions of chaotic solutions. Simulation results are presented as phase-portrait diagrams characterizing the resonant vibrations of free fluid surface and the existence of several types of regular and chaotic attractors. We also describe the energy transfer in the interaction process between the hydrodynamic system and the electric motor. Copyright © 2011 by ASME.

Estudo geofísico de vazamento de combustíveis em posto de abastecimento

The geoelectrical methods have been widely used in research involving the evaluation and monitoring of areas with environmental risk. This paper presents the results of applying the Electrical Resistivity method by electrical profiling technique to investigate the fuel presence in soil and groundwater proceeding in station gas, located in an urban area Caçapava do Sul (RS), on soil in situ, from modification of Caçapava granite. The results suggest an association between low resistivity anomalies zone with potentially degraded from underground tanks worthless on the form of free phase, now represented as residual phase. The results of the model inversion are consistent with the standards expected for hydrocarbons present in the saturated zone. The electrical resistivity method proved to be an important tool for assessment and environmental monitoring in conjunction with direct methods of investigation.

Coeficiente de operación de un sistema formado por un refrigerador doméstico acoplado a un acumulador de agua caliente para la recuperación de energía

An experimental apparatus containing a domestic refrigerator coupled to a vertical hot water storage tank was used for energy recovery. The original condenser of the refrigerator was maintained, but modified with a concentric tubes heat exchanger with countercurrent water and refrigerating gas flows. The coefficient of performance for the heat pump is calculated by the ratio of energy in the heat storage and the electric power consumed by the domestic refrigerator compressor. The results show that the increasing of hydrostatic pressure in the storage tank increases the water flow rate and the coefficient of performance. The proposed device also reduces the heat dissipation to the surroundings. This is more important in small confinements found in low-cost houses.

Índice de acidez del aceite de pez en la nutrición de alevines de pacú Piaractus mesopotamicus

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fish oil acidity on the growth of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) juveniles. Two hundred juveniles with 10.53±0.65 g of weight and 8.74±0.13 cm of total length, were distributed in a totally randomized design in 20, 0.15 m3 meshmade tanks placed in a 25 m3 holding tank. Extruded commercial diets sprayed with soybean oil (control) with acidity index of 0.24 and fish oil with acidity index of 1.48, 6.40 and 9.85 were used. The fish were fed four times a day until apparent satiety. Productive performance, centesimal composition and blood biochemistry were analysed. At the end of the feeding period none of the analyzed parameters was affected by the use of acidified fish oil. Therefore, fish oil may be supplied to the pacu juveniles regardless of their pH.

A comparative study of aquifer systems occurring at the Paraná sedimentary basin, Brazil: U-isotopes contribution

The radioactivity due to 238U and 234U in three aquifer systems occurring within the Paraná sedimentary basin, South America, has been investigated. Uranium is much less dissolved from fractured igneous rocks than from the porous sedimentary rocks as indicated by the U-mobility coefficients between 7. 6 × 10-6 and 1. 2 × 10-3 g cm-3. These values are also compatible with the U preference ratios relative to Na, K, Ca, Mg and SiO2, which showed that U is never preferentially mobilized in the liquid phase during the flow occurring in cracks, fissures, fractures and faults of the igneous basaltic rocks. Experimental dissolution of diabase grains on a time-scale laboratory has demonstrated that the U dissolution appeared to be a two-stage process characterized by linear and second-order kinetics. The U dissolution rate was 8 × 10-16 mol m-2 s-1 that is within the range of 4 × 10-16-3 × 10-14 mol m-2 s-1 estimated for other rock types. The 234U/238U activity ratio of dissolved U in solutions was higher than unity, a typical result expected during the water-rock interactions when preferential 234U-leach from the rock surfaces takes place. Some U-isotopes data allowed estimating 320 ka for the groundwater residence time in a sector of a transect in São Paulo State. A modeling has been also realized considering all U-isotopes data obtained in Bauru (35 samples), Serra Geral (16 samples) and Guarani (29 samples) aquifers. The results indicated that the Bauru aquifer waters may result from the admixture of waters from Guarani (1. 5 %) and Serra Geral (98. 5 %) aquifers. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.