Curauá fibers in the automobile industry - a sustainability assessment

Replacing glass fibers with natural fibers in the automobile industry can yield economic, environmental and social benefits. This article evaluates the prospective environmental impacts of automobile applications of curauá fiber (Ananas erectifolius), which nearly equates the physical properties of glass fibers. The study identified economic and social advantages of applying curauá fiber composites in car parts. Besides costing 50% less than fiber glass, the use of curauá fibers can promote regional development in the Amazon region. In order to realize significant environmental benefits, however, the curauá-based composites would have to be lighter than their glass fiber-based counterparts. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating sustainability of an Indian university

The objective of this research is to verify the adherence between the sustainable activities of an Indian university and the variables recommended by Alshuwaikhat and Abubakar (2008) in a framework that analyzed the contributions made by Higher Education Institutions for Sustainable Development. For such, a field work was conducted in India by the first author of this article to get in-depth data about sustainability at the university analyzed. Besides direct observations and gathering documents, interviews were also conducted with professors/scholars, students and employees. It was ascertained that up to the time in which the research was performed, the university studied was not fully adhering to the framework recommended by Alshuwaikhat and Abubakar (2008). Thus, there are still several opportunities for the university studied to be more sustainable. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A sustentabilidade urbana de Maringá/PR: da teoria à prática

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Sustentabilidade urbana e as certificações ambientais na construção civil

There is a huge debate surrounding the sustainability issues, especially urban sustainability. This article seeks to establish a critique of models of sustainable cities and postmodern city structured by dispersed city model produced by the logic of capital, it is an effort to confront methodological theoretical models of two cities, the capitalist model of production space and model sustainable city, the dispersed city model against a model of the compact city. For example it was used as environmental certifications for building a label denoting sustainable building when actually articulate a series of symbols that mask and reaffirm their production processes from the perspective of capital cities

Ecotoxicological assessment of sediments from an urban marine protected area (Xixová-Japuí State Park, SP, Brazil)

This study aimed to evaluate the environmental quality of the marine portion of Xixová-Japuí State Park (XJSP), an urban marine protected area, which is influenced by multiple contamination sources, by using ecotoxicological and geochemical analyses. Sediments were predominantly sandy, with low CaCO3 and organic matter contents, and presented contamination by metals (Cd,Cu,Zn). Acute toxicity was detected in three tested samples, and copepod exposed to sediments from four stations exhibited lower fecundities, despite the absence of significant effects. Contamination and toxicity seemed to be associated, suggesting that the environment is degraded and presents risks to the biota. Whole sediment TIE indicated ammonia as a main responsible for toxicity, suggesting sewage is a main contributor to sediment degradation. As external contamination sources seem to be negatively influencing the sediment quality, the park conservation objectives are not being fully reached, demanding actions to mitigate impacts. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Geoprocessing applied to the assessment of environmental noise: a case study in the city of Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Noise mapping has been used as an instrument for assessment of environmental noise, helping to support decision making on urban planning. In Brazil, urban noise is not yet recognized as a major environmental problem by the government. Besides, cities that have databases to drive acoustic simulations, making use of advanced noise mapping systems, are rare. This study sought an alternative method of noise mapping through the use of geoprocessing, which is feasible for the Brazilian reality and for other developing countries. The area chosen for the study was the central zone of the city of Sorocaba, located in So Paulo State, Brazil. The proposed method was effective in the spatial evaluation of equivalent sound pressure level. The results showed an urban area with high noise levels that exceed the legal standard, posing a threat to the welfare of the population.

Sediment toxicity assessment of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Guanabara Bay (GB) comprises of estuarine and marine environments of high ecological and socio-economic relevance, together with port, industrial and urban areas. The anthropogenic activities produce environmental impacts, including the aquatic pollution. The sediment quality assessment is important to evaluate the effects of contamination, once sediments are a repository for most of the contaminants. In this Study, the quality of sediments from GB was evaluated, in rainy and dry periods, throughout the employment of acute toxicity tests with the amphipod Tiburonella viscana, and chronic bioassays with embryos of the sea-urchin Lytechinus variegatus. In the dry period, acute toxicity was found in the sediments from stations 1, 2 3 (NW) and 7 (near Guapimirim Environmental Protection Area). The bioassays with liquid phases showed effects, but were strongly influenced by the unionized ammonia levels, which were high in this period. In the rainy period, acute toxicity was found in sediments samples from stations 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 15. Chronic toxicity could be clearly detected, as ammonia concentrations tended to be low in the most part of the samples. The results showed that the sediment toxicity is influenced by precipitation rates, which increase the input of contaminants to the Bay, and also allowed subdividing GB in three main zones: northwest (stations 1, 2, 3, 5), northeast (stations 6, 7, 8, 9) and centre-south (stations 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15). Results also showed that the quality of GB sediments is poor, and that toxicity tests could determine the combined effects of pollutants.

Subchronic Toxicity Evaluation of a Treated Urban Sewage Sludge

Disposal of tons of sludge produced daily by sewage treatment plants in large cities is a serious problem. Because recycling and application in agriculture have been proposed, the Brazilian National Environmental Council (CONAMA, 2006) issued a legal norm that regulates the use of the sewage sludge (SS) in crops. Due to the complex chemical nature of such products, characterization by analytical methods for health and environmental risk assessment has severe limitations. To overcome such limitations, it is necessary to (1) assess the toxicological potential of SS and (2) identify possible adverse effects in vivo in order to provide critical information for future environmental regulations. The present study was conducted to determine the potential toxicity of SS obtained from a representative urban treatment plant located in the São Paulo State, Brazil. Male and female Wistar rats were fed ad libitum a pelleted diet containing varying amounts of SS. No relevant clinical, hematological, urinary, or gross organ morphological alterations were observed in both genders of rats orally exposed to SS at up to 3.8 g/kg/d for 90 d. Sewage slude produced increased incidence of centrilobular hepatocyte hyperplasia at the high dose and significantly increased aspartate aminotransferease (AST) activities at all doses in both genders. Although the present data indicate some liver involvement, these alterations were considered adaptative and not toxicologically relevant, as the responses were relatively mild, not dose dependent, and no other parameters were markedly affected. The present results may contribute to the establishment of protocols for potential usage in SS agricultural soil application.

In vivo genotoxicity evaluation of a treated urban sewage sludge sample

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Genetic biomonitoring of an urban population exposed to mutagenic airborne pollutants

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Laboratory Assessment of two Active Ingredients for Control of Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

The subterranean termite Coptotermes gestroi Wasmann (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) is a pest of major economic importance in urban environments of southeastern Brazil. Compared to using pesticides for termite control, termite bait products target termites more specifically and also address environmental contamination issues. In this point of view, we performed two different bioassays ill order to evaluate the efficacy of boric acid and fipronil against different populations of C. gestroi. The results showed that concentration between 2000 and 3000 ppm of boric acid caused approximately 100 percent mortality ill termites. Concentrations between 0.01 and 0.0001 ppm of fipronil resulted in 100% termite mortality after 2 wk exposure. The data displayed a fast mortality of termites contaminated with fipronil, even with small concentrations, and therefore it is riot a Suitable product to be used ill baits against C gestroi. The present Study showed a delayed toxicity of boric acid against the subterranean termite C gestroi which suggests a need for further field tests.

Homogeneity assessment of a station climate series (1933-2005) in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo: instruments change and urbanization effects

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Evaluating quality of life in mercury intoxicated people in urban-industrial environments through short-form 36 application

Context and objective: Records of contact with mercury (Hg) exist for more than 3500 years and several problems related to the use of this element can be noticed. Considering inexistence of current reports about it, quality of life perception evaluation was studied in people chronically intoxicated by mercury in an industrial environment. Design and setting: This is a cross-sectional descriptive observational study. Information from 47 urban-industrial workers from lamps manufacturing in São Paulo, clinically diagnosed as intoxicated by mercury and currently followed by the Occupational Health Service of Faculdade de Medicine da Universidade de São Paulo, with average age of 41.7 years old, was considered. Methods: SF36 questionnaire application was performed, with inferences tested by χ-square proof, by Spearman linear correlation and Mann-Whitney non-parametric test, adopting p < 0.05 as significant level. Results: In the eight domains, observed medians are 40% for physical functioning; 0 for physical function; 30% for body pain; 30% for general health; 22.2% for vitality; 50% for social functioning; 0 for emotional role and 36% for mental health. Correlation between age and SF36 domains does not reveal statistical significance, except for physical functioning, indicating that lower scores presented by older people in this domain are not followed by changes on other ones. Conclusions: Values obtained in people chronically intoxicated by mercury are actually lower, in the motor and mental scope components. Some instruments domains are higher for men than for women. Older ages are inversely associated to good performance in physical function domain. © Copyright Moreira Jr. Editora. Todos os direitos reservados.

Indoor air quality assessment of elementary schools in Curitiba, Brazil

The promotion of good indoor air quality in schools is of particular public concern for two main reasons: (1) school-age children spend at least 30% of their time inside classrooms and (2) indoor air quality in urban areas is substantially influenced by the outdoor pollutants, exposing tenants to potentially toxic substances. Two schools in Curitiba, Brazil, were selected to characterize the gaseous compounds indoor and outdoor of the classrooms. The concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and the isomers xylenes (BTEX); NO2; SO2; O3; acetic acid (HAc); and formic acid (HFor) were assessed using passive diffusion tubes. BTEX were analyzed by gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry and other collected gasses by ion chromatography. The concentration of NO2 varied between 9.5 and 23 μg m-3, whereas SO2 showed an interval from 0.1 to 4.8 μg m-3. Within the schools, BTEX concentrations were predominant. Formic and acetic acids inside the classrooms revealed intermediate concentrations of 1.5 μg m-3 and 1.2 μg m-3, respectively. © Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2009.

Laboratory assessment of two active ingredients for control of coptotemes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

The subterranean termite Coptotermes gestroi Wasmann (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) is a pest of major economic importance in urban environments of southeastern Brazil. Compared to using pesticides for termite control, termite bait products target termites more specifically and also address environmental contamination issues. In this point of view, we performed two different bioassays in order to evaluate the efficacy of boric acid and fipronil against different populations of C. gestroi. The results showed that concentrations between 2000 and 3000 ppm of boric acid caused approximately 100 percent mortality in termites. Concentrations between 0.01 and 0.0001 ppm of fipronil resulted in 100% termite mortality after 2 wk exposure. The data displayed a fast mortality of termites contaminated with fipronil, even with small concentrations, and therefore it is not a suitable product to be used in baits against C. gestroi. The present study showed a delayed toxicity of boric acid against the subterranean termite C. gestroi which suggests a need for further field tests.