Mineralização de compostos nitrogenados de lodos de esgoto na quinta aplicação em Latossolo

Em sistemas agrícolas em que se aplica lodo de esgoto, devem ser consideradas as necessidades de N das plantas e, simultaneamente, evitar a geração de excesso de nitrato, poluente potencial de águas subsuperficiais. Para isso, na determinação das quantidades máximas a serem aplicadas em determinado cultivo, devem-se conhecer algumas propriedades do lodo de esgoto e do solo. Uma delas é a fração de mineralização de compostos nitrogenados orgânicos (FMN) contidos nos resíduos que serão mineralizados durante o ciclo da cultura. Essa quantidade, somada ao N na forma mineral contido no lodo, fornece a quantidade de N do lodo de esgoto que ficará disponível durante a safra. Este trabalho teve como objetivo determinar se as aplicações anteriores de lodo de esgoto, feitas em um Latossolo, alteram a FMN do resíduo recentemente aplicado. O solo foi previamente tratado, em quatro cultivos sucessivos de milho, com quatro doses e dois tipos de lodo de esgoto, um de origem urbana (Franca, SP) e outro de origem urbano-industrial (Barueri, SP). O experimento de mineralização foi instalado em laboratório, com delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados e três repetições, realizado durante 15 semanas. As doses dos lodos de esgoto estudadas, na quinta aplicação, corresponderam a 160, 320, 640 e 1.280 mg kg-1 de N orgânico. Em sete épocas, foram determinados o pH e os teores de N nas formas amoniacal e nítrica. A FMN foi calculada com os dados obtidos para a mineralização líquida medida 105 dias após o início da incubação. Os comportamentos dos dois tipos de lodo foram similares, com taxa de mineralização inicial elevada. Os teores de amônio mantiveram-se baixos logo após o início da incubação até o final, com aumento linear nos teores de nitrato. Houve maior acúmulo de nitrato para as maiores doses aplicadas. O potencial de mineralização dos tratamentos, estimado pelo modelo exponencial simples, variou entre 58 e 284 mg kg-1 de N. Não houve efeito das quantidades de resíduos previamente aplicadas ao Latossolo sobre a fração de mineralização do N orgânico recentemente aplicado via lodo de esgoto, com confiabilidade de 95 %. Os resultados mostraram que, em reaplicações na mesma área, as doses de lodo de esgoto devem ser menores do que as doses calculadas para aplicação única, devido ao N residual acumulado no solo, tanto na forma orgânica quanto inorgânica.

Exopolysaccharides produced by the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria of leguminosae

The process of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), performed by symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria with legume species, commonly known as α and β rhizobia, provides high sustainability for the ecosystems. Its management as a biotechnology is well succeeded for improving crop yields. A remarkable example of this success is the inoculation of Brazilian soybeans with Bradyrhizobium strains. Rhizobia produce a wide diversity of chemical structures of exopolysaccharides (EPS). Although the role of EPS is relatively well studied in the process of BNF, their economic and environmental potential is not yet explored. These EPS are mostly species-specific heteropolysaccharides, which can vary according to the composition of sugars, their linkages in a single subunit, the repeating unit size and the degree of polymerization. Studies have showed that the EPS produced by rhizobia play an important role in the invasion process, infection threads formation, bacteroid and nodule development and plant defense response. These EPS also confer protection to these bacteria when exposed to environmental stresses. In general, strains of rhizobia that produce greater amounts of EPS are more tolerant to adverse conditions when compared with strains that produce less. Moreover, it is known that the EPS produced by microorganisms are widely used in various industrial activities. These compounds, also called biopolymers, provide a valid alternative for the commonly used in food industry through the development of products with identical properties or with better rheological characteristics, which can be used for new applications. The microbial EPS are also able to increase the adhesion of soil particles favoring the mechanical stability of aggregates, increasing levels of water retention and air flows in this environment. Due to the importance of EPS, in this review we discuss the role of these compounds in the process of BNF, in the adaptation of rhizobia to environmental stresses and in the process of soil aggregation. The possible applications of these biopolymers in industry are also discussed.

Chemical properties of soils treated with biological sludge from gelatin industry

The impact of agro-industrial organic wastes in the environment can be reduced when used in agriculture. From the standpoint of soil fertility, residue applications can increase the organic matter content and provide nutrients for plants. This study evaluated the effect of biological sludge from gelatin industry on the chemical properties of two Ultisols (loamy sand and sandy clay) and an Oxisol (clay). The experiment lasted 120 days and was carried out in laboratory in a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement, combining the three soils and six biological sludge rates (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 m³ ha-1), with three replications. Biological sludge rates of up to 500 m³ ha-1 decreased soil acidity and increased the effective cation exchange capacity (CEC) and N, Ca, Mg, and P availability, without exceeding the tolerance limit for Na. The increase in exchangeable base content, greater than the effective CEC, indicates that the major part of cations added by the sludge remains in solution and can be lost by leaching.

Organic matter quality and dynamics in tropical soils amended with sugar industry residue

Soil organic matter depletion caused by agricultural management systems have been identified as a critical problem in most tropical soils. The application of organic residues from agro-industrial activities can ameliorate this problem by increasing soil organic matter quality and quantity. Humic substances play an important role in soil conservation but the dynamics of their transformations is still poorly understood. This study evaluated the effect of compost application to two contrasting tropical soils (Inceptisol and Oxisol) for two years. Soil samples were incubated with compost consisting of sugarcane filter cake, a residue from the sugar industry, at 0, 40, 80, and 120 Mg ha-1. Filter cake compost changed the humic matter dynamics in both content and quality, affecting the soil mineralogical composition. It was observed that carbon mineralization was faster in the illite-containing Inceptisol, whereas humic acids were preserved for a longer period in the Oxisol. In both soils, compost application increased fulvic acid contents, favoring the formation of small hydrophilic molecules. A decrease in fluorescence intensity according to the incubation time was observed in the humic acids extracted from amended soils, revealing important chemical changes in this otherwise stable C pool.

Use of steel slag to neutralize acid mine drainage (AMD) in sulfidic material from a uranium mine

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is one of the main environmental impacts caused by mining. Thus, innovative mitigation strategies should be exploited, to neutralize acidity and prevent mobilization of trace elements in AMD. The use of industrial byproducts has been considered an economically and environmentally effective alternative to remediate acid mine drainage. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the use of steel slag to mitigate acid mine drainage in a sulfidic material from a uranium mine, as an alternative to the use of limestone. Thus, increasing doses of two neutralizing agents were applied to a sulfidic material from the uranium mine Osamu Utsumi in Caldas, Minas Gerais State. A steel slag from the company ArcelorMittal Tubarão and a commercial limestone were used as neutralizing agents. The experiment was conducted in leaching columns, arranged in a completely randomized, [(2 x 3) + 1] factorial design, consisting of two neutralizing agents, three doses and one control, in three replications, totaling 21 experimental units. Electrical conductivity (EC), pH and the concentrations of Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, S, Se, and Zn were evaluated in the leached solutions. The trace element concentration was evaluated by ICP-OES. Furthermore, the CO2 emission was measured at the top of the leaching columns by capturing in NaOH solution and titration with HCl, in the presence of BaCl2. An increase in the pH of the leachate was observed for both neutralizing agents, with slightly higher values for steel slag. The EC was lower at the higher lime dose at an early stage of the experiment, and CO2 emission was greater with the use of limestone compared to steel slag. A decrease in trace element mobilization in the presence of both neutralizing agents was also observed. Therefore, the results showed that the use of steel slag is a suitable alternative to mitigate AMD, with the advantage of reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere compared to limestone.

Mineralização do carbono e nitrogênio de resíduos aplicados ao solo em campo

A definição das doses de aplicação de resíduos orgânicos de origens agrícola, urbana ou industrial, com vistas a seu aproveitamento agrícola, deve estar fundamentada na taxa de sua mineralização no solo. Neste trabalho, os objetivos foram utilizar e analisar diferentes métodos de estimativa das frações mineralizadas dos estercos de bovinos, suínos e galinhas, bem como do lodo de esgoto e do composto de lixo urbano, em campo, quando incorporados ou dispostos sobre um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico (LVAd). O experimento foi conduzido por um período de 360 dias, sendo feita coleta mensal de amostras do solo/resíduo, em que foram quantificadas as concentrações de carbono facilmente oxidável (COfo), o nitrogênio total, o amônio e o nitrato, possibilitando a estimativa do nitrogênio orgânico (NO). Verificou-se que estimativas das frações mineralizadas em resíduos dispostos superficialmente estão mais sujeitas a erros que as incorporadas, em razão das diferentes proporções resíduo/solo coletadas durante o período de monitoramento. Recomendou-se a obtenção das frações mineralizadas a partir de dados de concentração de COfo no solo/resíduo, tendo em vista que as de Ninorg e, consequentemente, de NO estão sujeitas à forte influência da ocorrência de chuvas, gerando valores pouco confiáveis. As frações mineralizadas de COfo e NO estimadas, considerando-se as adições de material orgânico (COfo(adic) ou NO(adic)), foram, após 120 dias de incubação do resíduo, superiores a 89,3 %, sejam nos resíduos incorporados ou dispostos superficialmente.

Least limiting water range in assessing compaction in a Brazilian Cerrado latosol growing sugarcane

In the south-central region of Brazil, there is a trend toward reducing the sugarcane inter-harvest period and increasing traffic of heavy harvesting machinery on soil with high water content, which may intensify the compaction process. In this study, we assessed the structural changes of a distroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol) by monitoring soil water content as a function of the Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) and quantified its effects on the crop yield and industrial quality of the first ratoon crop of sugarcane cultivars with different maturation cycles. Three cultivars (RB 83-5054, RB 84-5210 and RB 86-7515) were subjected to four levels of soil compaction brought about by a differing number of passes of a farm tractor (T0 = soil not trafficked, T2 = 2 passes, T10 = 10 passes, and T20 = 20 passes of the tractor in the same place) in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement with three replications. The deleterious effects on the soil structure from the farm machinery traffic were limited to the surface layer (0-10 cm) of the inter-row area of the ratoon crop. The LLWR dropped to nearly zero after 20 tractor passes between the cane rows. We detected differences among the cultivars studied; cultivar RB 86-7515 stood out for its industrial processing quality, regardless of the level of soil compaction. Monitoring of soil moisture in the crop showed exposure to water stress conditions, although soil compaction did not affect the production variables of the sugarcane cultivars. We thus conclude that the absence of traffic on the plant row maintained suitable soil conditions for plant development and may have offset the harmful effects of soil compaction shown by the high values for bulk density between the rows of the sugarcane cultivars.

Valores de referência de qualidade para metais pesados em solos do Rio Grande do Norte

O crescimento industrial e o populacional têm aumentado os teores de metais pesados nos solos e impactado a qualidade desse recurso. Nesse contexto, as agências de proteção ambiental vêm despendendo esforços para o estabelecimento de índices que possam identificar áreas suspeitas de contaminação. Valores de Referência de Qualidade para Solos (VRQs) refletem a concentração natural de determinada substância no solo, sem interferência antrópica. O trabalho objetivou estabelecer os VRQs para os metais Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, V e Zn exigidos pelo Conama, para composição da legislação direcionada ao monitoramento desses elementos nos solos do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Foram coletadas 416 amostras de solo em áreas de mata nativa ou com mínima influência antrópica. A abertura das amostras foi efetuada pelo método EPA-3051A, sendo os metais determinados por espectrometria de emissão ótica (ICP-OES) e absorção atômica (AA). Os resultados do trabalho comprovaram que estudos regionalizados são essenciais para definição de VRQs. Os VRQs calculados para o Rio Grande do Norte foram mais restritivos que os de outros estados do país. A análise fatorial de confirmação dos dados foi útil para obtenção de VRQs mais confiáveis e demonstrou que para o Estado esses valores podem ser estabelecidos com apenas duas repetições por local de coleta. Nesse sentido, é primordial um planejamento prévio, de distribuição dos locais de amostragem, de maneira que os diversos compartimentos geomorfológicos, pedológicos e geológicos do Estado sejam representados.

SWEET SORGHUM PERFORMANCE AFFECTED BY SOIL COMPACTION AND SOWING TIME AS A SECOND CROP IN THE BRAZILIAN CERRADO

ABSTRACT Increasing attention has recently been given to sweet sorghum as a renewable raw material for ethanol production, mainly because its cultivation can be fully mechanized. However, the intensive use of agricultural machinery causes soil structural degradation, especially when performed under inadequate conditions of soil moisture. The aims of this study were to evaluate the physical quality of aLatossolo Vermelho Distroférrico (Oxisol) under compaction and its components on sweet sorghum yield forsecond cropsowing in the Brazilian Cerrado (Brazilian tropical savanna). The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, in a split plot arrangement, with four replications. Five levels of soil compaction were tested from the passing of a tractor at the following traffic intensities: 0 (absence of additional compaction), 1, 2, 7, and 15 passes over the same spot. The subplots consisted of three different sowing times of sweet sorghum during the off-season of 2013 (20/01, 17/02, and 16/03). Soil physical quality was measured through the least limiting water range (LLWR) and soil water limitation; crop yield and technological parameters were also measured. Monitoring of soil water contents indicated a reduction in the frequency of water content in the soil within the limits of the LLWR (Fwithin) as agricultural traffic increased (T0 = T1 = T2>T7>T15), and crop yield is directly associated with soil water content. The crop sown in January had higher industrial quality; however, there was stalk yield reduction when bulk density was greater than 1.26 Mg m-3, with a maximum yield of 50 Mg ha-1 in this sowing time. Cultivation of sweet sorghum as a second crop is a promising alternative, but care should be taken in cultivation under conditions of pronounced climatic risks, due to low stalk yield.

Carbon in Humic Fractions of Organic Matter in Soil Treated with Organic Composts under Mango Cultivation

ABSTRACT Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a key role in maintaining the productivity of tropical soils, providing energy and substrate for the biological activity and modifying the physical and chemical characteristics that ensure the maintenance of soil quality and the sustainability of ecosystems. This study assessed the medium-term effect (six years) of the application of five organic composts, produced by combining different agro-industrial residues, on accumulation and chemical characteristics of soil organic matter. Treatments were applied in a long-term experiment of organic management of mango (OMM) initiated in 2005 with a randomized block design with four replications. Two external areas, one with conventional mango cultivation (CMM) and the other a fragment of regenerating Caatinga vegetation (RCF), were used as reference areas. Soil samples were collected in the three management systems from the 0.00-0.05, 0.05-0.10, and 0.10-0.20 m layers, and the total organic carbon content and chemical fractions of organic matter were evaluated by determining the C contents of humin and humic and fulvic acids. Organic compost application significantly increased the contents of total C and C in humic substances in the experimental plots, mainly in the surface layer. However, compost 3 (50 % coconut bagasse, 40 % goat manure, 10 % castor bean residues) significantly increased the level of the non-humic fraction, probably due to the higher contents of recalcitrant material in the initial composition. The highest increases from application of the composts were in the humin, followed by the fulvic fraction. Compost application increased the proportion of higher molecular weight components, indicating higher stability of the organic matter.

Educação profissional numa sociedade sem empregos

O objetivo deste artigo é o de promover a análise da proposta de educação profissional por meio do exame do documento de Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para a Educação Profissional de Nível Técnico do MEC/CNE no contexto das recentes transformações do capitalismo e sua expressão no Brasil. A ênfase da análise é posta nas relações entre a educação profissional e o ensino médio, transição do conceito de qualificação profissional ao modelo de competência e na crítica ao determinismo tecnológico que parece orientar o referido documento.

As organizações da sociedade civil e as ONGs de educação

Esta resenha de idéias e conceitos esclarece o leitor sobre uma sucessão de termos empregados livremente nos últimos tempos: sociedade civil, ONGs, Terceiro Setor, Lei das OSC-IPs, conselhos paritários - o que vêm a ser, integrando a pauta da grande imprensa? Em abordagem simples, apresentam-se elementos da trajetória política das ONGs brasileiras dentro do cenário mais amplo da sociedade civil organizada. Discute-se o papel especial desempenhado por elas na longa luta pela socialização da educação, e seu atualíssimo dilema frente à onda de privatização de deveres constitucionais do Estado.

Os fenômenos de segregação e exclusão social na sociedade do conhecimento

O artigo analisa os novos fenômenos de desigualdade e exclusão desencadeados pela utilização intensiva do conhecimento e da informação na organização do trabalho, por um lado, e, nas instituições políticas e culturais, pelo outro. A partir dessa análise são apresentadas algumas conseqüências para a educação, particularmente as que se referem ao papel desta em relação à mobilidade social, aos riscos da privatização dos circuitos nos quais se reproduz e distribui o conhecimento socialmente mais significativo, bem como em relação às mudanças na atuação da escola do ponto de vista do processo de socialização.

Sociedade do conhecimento e educação profissional de nível técnico no Brasil

Pretende-se abordar neste artigo a discussão sobre formação e conhecimento focalizando o tema nas reiteradas afirmações de que as sociedades atuais, em âmbito mundial, são "sociedades do conhecimento". Por essa razão, numa primeira parte será discutida essa formulação, assim como o conceito de "formação", para, em uma segunda, estabelecer-se a relação entre conhecimento e formação e desta com a educação escolar, em geral, e com a profissional, em particular.