Indicadores de estresse salino em abacaxizeiro cultivado na ausência e presença de fitorreguladores

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes concentrações de NaCl nas fases de multiplicação e enraizamento in vitro do abacaxizeiro cultivar MD Gold. Brotos de abacaxizeiro foram inoculados em meio MS, na ausência e presença dos fitorreguladores ácido naftalenoacético (ANA) e 6-benzilaminopurina (BAP) e também de diferentes concentrações de NaCl (Controle - 0; 50; 100 e 150 mM). Mensalmente, os brotos foram subcultivados e foram analisados altura média, número de folhas vivas e mortas, taxas de brotação e enraizamento. Durante a multiplicação e na ausência de ANA e BAP, o NaCl provocou significativa redução no crescimento e desenvolvimento de brotos de abacaxizeiro, expresso pela altura e pelo número de folhas, nas doses mais elevadas, contrariamente, na presença dos fitorreguladores. Durante os 60 dias iniciais, ocorreu aumento na produção de folhas. Contudo, aos 90 dias, observou-se decréscimo na média de folhas vivas nos brotos tratados com sal. O cultivo in vitro de abacaxizeiro em presença de sal é mais eficiente na presença de ANA e BAP, garantindo a manutenção do crescimento, aumentando o número de folhas, produzindo novas gemas e acelerando o processo de enraizamento.

DESENVOLVIMENTO, FISIOLOGIA DA MATURAÇÃO E INDICADORES DO PONTO DE COLHEITA DE FRUTOS DA UMBUGUELEIRA (Spondias sp.)

RESUMO A umbugueleira produz frutos com amplas possibilidades de utilização que, embora subexplorados, têm grande potencial socioeconômico. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o desenvolvimento e a fisiologia da maturação em frutos da umbugueleira. As inflorescências foram marcadas em seis plantas, no período da antese, e o fruto (umbuguela) foi avaliado em intervalos regulares até a abscisão da planta. O ciclo de desenvolvimento da umbuguela, da antese até o início da abscisão, abrange 157 dias; a massa, o volume, o comprimento e o diâmetro apresentam aumentos rápidos até 117 dias após a antese (DAA), estabilizando-se até o final da maturação. O padrão respiratório do fruto foi climatérico, com pico aos 147 DAA. A coloração evoluiu do verde para o amarelo e, no pós-climatério, para o vermelho-púrpura. A relação SS/AT e pH aumentaram, e a AT diminuiu durante a maturação. O ponto ideal de colheita para o armazenamento ocorreu dos 127 aos 137 DAA, com início da coloração amarela a amarelo predominante. Para consumo fresco, o ponto de colheita foi a partir de 147 DAA (amarelo com traços avermelhados).

Lipídios como Indicadores de Mudanças Climáticas no Passado 1: Biomarcadores Marinhos

The distribution and abundance of specific lipid biomarkers in marine sediments can play an important rule for the reconstruction of past climatic changes. Here, it is shown the use of a widely known paleo Sea Surface Temperature (SST) proxy based on the unsaturation ratio of a suite of long-chain C37 alkenones: the alkenone unsaturation index, U K37'. These compounds are biosynthesised by only a restricted group of prymnesiophyte algae, mostly notably the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi. To ilustrate the importance of the U K37' index as a molecular tool, the correlation between the SST signal derived from the U K37' and other paleoclimatic records examined in a core from the North Atlantic is discussed.

Indicadores naturais de pH: usar papel ou solução?

In this work, the fruit extracts of Morus nigra - mulberry, Syzygium cuminii - jambolão, Vitis vinifera ¾ grape, Myrciaria cauliflora - jabuticaba are suggested as pH indicators in the form of either solutions or paper. The pH indicator solutions were prepared by soaking the fruits or their peels in ethanol 1:3 (m/V) for 24 h, followed by simple filtration. The pH indicator papers were prepared by imersion of the qualitative filter paper strips in the pH indicator solutions. The different pH leads to color changes in the indicator solutions or papers and it can be used for teaching elementary chemistry concepts.

Avaliação de indicadores de uso diverso como inibidores de corrosão

Very often hydrochloric acid is employed in acidification operations aiming to dissolve the mineral matrix in petroleum wheel operations, which always require intense use of corrosion inhibitors. This work presents an evaluation of common indicators, phenolfthaleine, fluorescein, methylene blue, alizarine S and methyl orange, as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in HCl 15% w/v at temperatures of 26, 40 and 60 ºC. Fluorescein and methyl orange show excelent corrosion inhibition efficiencies at 26 ºC; however at 60 ºC only fluorescein shows good corrosion inhibition when employed with alcohol and/or formaldehyde. For the fluorescein 1% w/v + formaldehyde 0.6% w/v mixture we present polarization and impedance curves and adsorption isotherms.

O pKa de indicadores ácido-base e os efeitos coloidais

An experiment is proposed that can be included in undergraduate courses of chemistry. The subject is the acidity of organic compounds, which are employed as pH indicators, particularly in acid-base titrations. The indicators used are methyl orange, bromophenol blue and bromocresol green in aqueous medium. The influence of colloidal systems on the equilibrium is evaluated by the pKa. The colloids employed are surfactants like sodium dodecyl sulfate, cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide and a polymeric non-ionic F127 (pluronics). The effect of stabilization promoted by the system on the acidic or basic structureof the indicator establishes the action mechanism of the colloid on the pKa values.

Quantificação simultânea de indicadores biológicos de exposição a solventes orgânicos por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência

Biological monitoring is very important to guarantee health to workers. This method was developed for simultaneous determination of xylene, toluene, styrene and ethylbenzene metabolites. It involves only dilution and centrifugation of urine samples and improved chromatographic conditions. Analyses show recovery > 95%; r² > 0.99; intermediate precision CV% < 6% and % bias < ±10. Exposed subjects presented at least three metabolites in urine. The method proved to be feasible, reliable and important in biological monitoring, especially in exposure to organic solvent mixtures.

Indicadores químicos de qualidade da matéria orgânica de solo da sub-bacia do Rio das Mortes sob manejos diferenciais de cafeeiro

This work evaluated the chemical quality of organic matter (OM) of a Brazilian Oxisol cultivated with coffee plants, under organic and conventional managements. Total organic C (TOC), light fraction C (LF-C) and C in humic (HA-C) and fulvic (FA-C) acids fractions was measured. Amongst the evaluated indexes, TOC and LF-C discriminated better OM attributes as a function of management. The stratification ratio (TOC5-10cm/TOC10-20cm) did not show differences between the systems studied. The organic system can contribute to the sustainability of coffee plantations in Brazil, because it maintains the chemical attributes of OM closer to the indexes verified under forest conditions.

Determinação simultânea de creatinina e indicadores biológicos de exposição ao tolueno, estireno e xilenos em urina por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência

A simple liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of creatinine, hippuric acid, mandelic acid, phenylglyoxylic acid and o, m and p-methylhippuric acids was developed and validated. Sample preparation was only dilution with water (1:10), followed by centrifugation. Analysis was performed in a reversed phase column (Lichrospher RP 8ec), 250 x 4.0 mm, with isocratic elution with phosphate buffer pH 2.3 and acetonitrile (90:10, v/v). The method presents adequate linearity, precision and accuracy and allows the simultaneous determination of the biomarkers of exposure to toluene, xylene and styrene together with creatinine, reducing cost and laboratory time.

Hidrocarbonetos e esterois como indicadores de fontes e destino de matéria orgânica em sedimentos da Baía de Sepetiba, Rio de Janeiro

The inputs of organic matter derived from natural and anthropogenic sources to Sepetiba Bay were investigated by using aliphatic hydrocarbons and sterols in superficial sediments. Concentrations ranged from 0.26 to 2.65 μg g-1, <0.01 to 17.41 μg g-1 and 0.77 and 9.24 μg g-1 for n-alkanes, UCM (unresolved complex mixture) and total sterols, respectively. The selected markers and ratios among individual compounds showed the major contribution of terrestrial sources to the total pool of sedimentary organic matter in the bay, but the accumulation of autochthonous organic matter increased with distance from the shoreline. The input of petroleum hydrocarbons and sewage (coprostanol in the range 0.01 to 0.43 μg g-1) were also detected, especially in the more urbanized regions of the bay, but at lower levels of contamination when compared to estuaries in other Brazilian coastal regions.

Lipídios como indicadores de fontes e distribuição de matéria orgânica particulada em um complexo estuarino-lagunar tropical (Mundaú-Manguaba, AL)

Fatty acids, alcohols and sterols were considered as markers of the source and distribution of particulate organic matter during the dry season in the Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine-lagoon system, NE Brazil. Lipid composition showed an overwhelming influence of autochthonous sources of organic matter in all system´s compartments, including the probable occurrence of algal blooms in specific areas. On the other hand, contamination by sewage was restricted to Mundaú lagoon. This scenario differed from known conditions observed in the wet season, illustrating the usefulness of the lipid biomarker approach for the characterization of other complex and dynamic systems in the Brazilian coastal zone.

Esterois como indicadores do acúmulo de esgotos domésticos em sedimentos de um sistema estuarino-lagunar tropical (Mundaú-Manguaba, AL)

The history of sewage contamination in the Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine lagoon system (NE Brazilian coastal zone) was evaluated through the concentration of sterols in sediment cores. The concentration of coprostanol increased towards the surface sediments, with the maximum of 5.65 µg g-1 at 0-2 cm sediment layer in Mundaú. Manguaba exhibited a lower level of contamination. The ratio cholestanol/cholesterol suggested degradation of coprostanol only before the burial of organic matter in the sediment. This feature, together with information of population growth in the watershed, allowed the estimation of a sedimentation rate of 0.90 cm year-1 to the Mundaú lagoon.

Fontes e distribuição de matéria orgânica sedimentar no complexo estuarino-lagunar de Mundaú-Manguaba/AL, utilizando esterois e alcoóis como indicadores

The origin of the sedimentary organic matter in the Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine system was evaluated through the distribution and composition of sterols, alcohols and ancillary data. The muddy sediments of the lagoons are enriched in organic matter, derived from a mixture of autochthonous and allochthonous inputs. Mundaú exhibited moderate contamination by sewage, with coprostanol concentration as high as 4.4 µg g-1. The channels are characterized by sand and organic matter-poor sediments. The sediments from some rivers in the drainage basin accumulated organic matter derived only from terrestrial vegetation. Stanol/sterol ratios evidenced the preferential diagenesis of the autochthonous fraction of organic matter.

Explorando produtos naturais microbianos nas fronteiras da Química e da Biologia

The chemistry of natural products has been remarkably growing in the past few decades in Brazil. Aspects related to the isolation and identification of new natural products, as well as their biological activities, have been achieved in different laboratories working on this subject in the country. More recently, the introduction of new molecular biology tools has strongly influenced the research on natural products, mainly those produced by microorganisms, creating new possibilities to assess the chemical diversity of secondary metabolites. This paper describes some ideas on how the research on natural products can have a considerable input from molecular biology in the generation of chemical diversity. We also explore the role of microbial natural products in mediating interspecific interactions and their relevance to ecological studies. Examples of the generation of chemical diversity are highlighted by using genome mining, mutasynthesis, combinatorial biosynthesis, metagenomics, and synthetic biology, while some aspects of microbial ecology are also discussed. The idea to bring up this topic is linked to the remarkable development of molecular biology techniques to generate useful chemicals from different organisms. Here, we focus mainly on microorganisms, even though similar approaches have also been applied to the study of plants and other organisms. Investigations in the frontier of chemistry and biology require interactions between different areas, characterizing the interdisciplinarity of this research field. The necessity of a real integration of chemistry and biology is pivotal to finding correct answers to a number of biological phenomena. The use of molecular biology tools to generate chemical diversity and control biosynthetic pathways is largely explored in the production of important biologically active compounds. Finally, we briefly comment on the Brazilian organization of research in this area, the necessity of new strategies for the graduation programs, and the establishment of networks as a way of organization to overcome some of the problems faced in the area of natural products.

Terpanos pentacíclicos como indicadores de heterogeneidades composicionais em reservatório de petróleo biodegradado

Reservoir geochemistry has been effectively used to evaluate compositional heterogeneity in petroleum reservoirs by employing oil fingerprinting technique to assess reservoir continuity, primarily in paraffin oil accumulations. In-reservoir biodegradation has resulted in vast deposits of heavy oils globally; therefore, the application of reservoir geochemistry to such accumulations becomes necessary. We recommend the use of pentacyclic terpanes instead of lower molecular compounds, which are less resistant to biodegradation. Using oil fingerprinting technique in this novel way enabled the differentiation of oil composition among sedimentary facies of tar sands (Pirambóia Formation, Paraná Basin).