Eletrocatálise e poluição ambiental

This work considers mainly the problem of environmental pollution due to the production of energy by burning fossil fuels, particularly in urban vehicles. Electrochemical energy conversion is proposed as a partial solution to this problem, through the use of hydrogen in fuel cells. In both the production of hydrogen by electrolysis and in the electrochemical processes in fuel cells, the key factor is electrocatalysis. The concept of electrocatalysis, the production of catalysts and supported catalysts and their use in practical systems for the conversion of energy is discussed.

Biossensores amperométricos para determinação de compostos fenólicos em amostras de interesse ambiental

Phenols are widely used in many areas and commonly found as industrial by-products. A great number of agricultural and industrial activities realise phenolic compounds in the environmental. Waste phenols are produced mainly by the wood-pulp industry and during production of synthetic polymers, drugs, plastics, dyes, pesticides and others. Phenols are also released into the environmental by the degradation of pesticides with phenolic skeleton. The phenols level control is very important for the environmental protection. Amperometric biosensor has shown the feasibility to complement laboratory-based analytical methods for the determination of phenolic compounds, providing alternatives to conventional methods which have many disadvantages. This brief review considers the evolution of an approach to amperometric measurement using the catalytic properties of some enzymes for phenolic compounds monitoring.

Química atmosférica do enxofre (IV): emissões, reações em fase aquosa e impacto ambiental

The oxidation process of sulfur(IV) species by oxygen, ozone and nitrogen oxides, catalysed by trace metal ions, can play an important role in atmospheric chemistry processes like acid rain, visibility degradation and health hazard. An overview of the more relevant investigations on emissions sources, aqueous phase conversion process and environmental impact is presented.

DDT (dicloro difenil tricloroetano): toxicidade e contaminação ambiental - uma revisão

DDT and others organochlorine insecticides are very persistent substances. Clinical symptoms of intoxication have been reported in humans, although the main problem concerning such substances is bioaccumulation and biomagnification along throphic chains, leading to contamination of top predators and humans after them. In this review these characteristics are described, as well as some aspects of the control of vector borne diseases, like leishmaniasis and malaria, which were until recently, controlled by the health authorities using DDT.

A Química Ambiental no Brasil

Defining environmental chemistry is a not an easy task because it encompasses many different topics. According to Stanley E. Manahan, author of a classical textbook of Environmental Chemistry, this branch could be defined as the one centered in the study of the sources, transport, effects and fates of chemical species in the water, soil, and air environments, as well as the influence of human activity upon these processes. More recently, new knowledge emerged from the Environmental Toxicology allowed to go even deeper in the meaning of 'effects' and 'fates' of a continuous growing number of organic and inorganic species disposed in water bodies, soils and atmosphere. Toxicity tests became an important tool to evaluate the environmental impact of such species to a great number of organisms, thus allowing to set quality criteria for drinking water, sediments and biota. The state of art shows that environmental chemistry is a multi-inter disciplinary science by nature; therefore, it needs more than a limited, unique-approach and non-oriented set of data to understand the nature of natural processes. Taking all these aspects into consideration, one can say that Environmental Chemistry in Brazil is now a well established area of research within the classical areas of the Chemistry, with a large number of emerging groups as well research groups with worldwide recognition.

Utilizando o monitoramento ambiental para o ensino da química: pedagogia de projeto

The article shows how the monitoring of the water quality can be utilized in an inter-disciplinary pedagogical project involving Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Microbiology making the apprenticeship more dynamic and consolidating the link between the student and the community.

Relato de uma experiência pedagógica no ensino de química: formação profissional com responsabilidade ambiental

The toxic heavy metals can not be transformed in other less toxic substances as organic wastes through chemical process. Various chemistry courses at Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Humanities (FFCLRP/USP) use heavy metals in their experimental classes. In this context, a course were created: "Heavy Metal Wastes generated in the teaching and research laboratories: disposal or recovery" and has a specific goal to capacitate the students to define the adequate strategy for disposal or recovery of the chemical wastes, in particular heavy metals, through an interdisciplinary approaching. This course was given to 25 students during the second semester of 2000 and 2001. The environmental responsibility desired for the professional and citizen can be promoted.

Determinação de As em amostras orgânicas de interesse ambiental por espectrometria de absorção atômica com atomização eletrotérmica após combustão em bomba de O2

The toxicity of the major As species present in the environment justifies the effort for quantifying the element in environmental organic samples, which can vary from animal and vegetal tissues to coal and industrial residues. This paper comments about the applicability of the O2 bomb digestion, as a general procedure for all environmental organic materials. A rapid and straightforward method is suggested, which consists in burning the sample in the bomb at high O2 pressure, dissolving the vapours in diluted HNO3 and determining As in the resulting solution by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization. The method was applied to certified materials and plant samples.

Contaminação ambiental por compostos organoestânicos

The occurrence and the effects of organotin compounds (OTs) have been studied since a long time, due to their widespread use and deleterious effects. Some OTs are used as pesticides in crops, or as biocides in antifouling paints, applied in the ship hulls to avoid attachment and growth of tube worms, mussels and barnacles. However, "nontarget" organisms may be exposed, resulting in the poisoning of biological system, originating mutations and sentencing species to extinction. In this work we reported a revision study on the history of OTs and the techniques developed for its assessment and control.

Educação ambiental na universidade: construindo possibilidades

Environmental education is a big challenge in this century and the University has an important role to play in it. This paper presents a practical experience of environmental education in the university teaching at the University of Bahia. That experience involves the creation of an interdisciplinary group that has been developing research and teaching activities with interdisciplinary perspectives. The paper also discusses a methodology proposed by this group aiming to include environmental education in science teaching using social and cultural approaches.

Utilização de regressão multivariada para avaliação espectrofotométrica da demanda química de oxigênio em amostras de relevância ambiental

In this work, a partial least squares regression routine was used to develop a multivariate calibration model to predict the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in substrates of environmental relevance (paper effluents and landfill leachates) from UV-Vis spectral data. The calibration models permit the fast determination of the COD with typical relative errors lower by 10% with respect to the conventional methodology.

Diagnóstico ambiental de metais e organoclorados em córregos adjacentes a áreas de cultivo de cana-de-açúcar (Estado de São Paulo, Brasil)

Sugar cane cultivation in the State of São Paulo has expanded in the last years, with an annual production of 200•10(6) t in an area of 2.5• 10(6) hectares. The use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers in sugar cane plantations, together with deforestation of riparian vegetation, have caused impacts on the hydric resources of the adjacent areas. The aim of this work is to evaluate the influence of sugar cane plantations on streams in the central region of the State of São Paulo, studying 16 organochlorinated compounds and 7 metals (Cu, Fe, Cd, Zn, Mn, Cr and Ni) found in the sediments of 11 streams. The results show that there is a higher concentration of metals and organochlorinated compounds in streams without riparian vegetation when compared to forested areas.

Uso de lodo de estação de tratamento de água centrifugado em matriz de concreto de cimento portland para reduzir o impacto ambiental

An alternative application of the humid sludge from the Passaúna WTP, located in Curitiba's metropolitan area, is proposed for concrete structures, partially replacing aggregates and cement. For the investigation, a reference concrete and four concrete mixtures with sludge were produced, and from these, two mixtures, containing 4% and 8% of sludge (m/m), were analyzed by different techniques: X ray fluorescence, X ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric analysis, physicochemical analysis, compressive strength, etc. The properties were evaluated and the results indicate that the mixtures can be applied in different situations as cast structures for construction of concrete walls. Mixtures with more than 4% of sludge are restricted to applications where the workability of the concrete is not required, such as for residential pavements, sidewalks and stepping floors.

Monitoramento atmosférico passivo de SO2, NO2 e O3 em áreas urbanas e de influência industrial como prática de química ambiental para alunos de graduação

This study is a result of undergraduate student participation in the Environmental Chemistry discipline provided by the Chemistry Institute/UFBA. The students were involved in the development of passive samplers, a project of the LAQUAM (Environmental Analytical Chemistry Laboratory). The students' residences and other neighborhoods were used to create a passive sampling network, allowing the measurement of atmospheric levels of pollutants in urban areas and in those under industrial influence. The assembly of the passive samplers, including impregnation of filters and chemical analysis were part of the students' practice tasks. The results were analyzed taking into consideration the Brazilian legislation.

Método multirresíduo para monitoramento de contaminação ambiental de pesticidas na região de Bauru (SP) usando mel como bio-indicador

The presence of residues of the major groups of pesticides (organohalogen, organophosphorous, pyrethroids and organonitrogen) in representative samples of honey produced in Bauru (state of São Paulo, Brazil) was investigated from 1999 through2004. A multiresidue method was applied to honey samples to determine 48 pesticides with recoveries ranging from 76 to 95%. The limits of detection found were lower than 10 µg/kg for GC-MS-SIM. The results indicated that most pesticides found in the samples belonged to the organohalogen and organonitrogen groups. Residues of malathion were detected in almost all of the samples in high concentration.