Distribuição de coprostanol (5beta(H)-colestan-3beta-ol) em sedimentos superficiais da Baía de Guanabara: indicador da poluição recente por esgotos domésticos

A critical evaluation is presented on the use of faecal sterols for the identification of sewage contamination in Guanabara Bay. Sediments were collected from 8 stations in the bay selected as representative of different contamination levels. GC/MS determination of faecal sterols gave: coprostanol, 335 - 40000 ng g-1; coprostanone, 112-4136 ng g-1; cholesterol, 1407-7800 ng g-1; cholestanol, 2011 - 10900 ng g-1 and cholestanone, 655-7954 ng g-1. The observed concentration is in accordance with the presence of known pollution sources, however, concentration ratios of different sterols species produced unclear results evidently influenced by primary production and microbial processes.

Fármacos no meio ambiente

Pharmaceutical drugs have been detected in sewage treatment plants, surface waters, underground waters and potable waters. Some investigations have been conducted in several countries such as Germany, Brazil, Canada, United States, The Netherlands, England and Italy. Patients and animals excrete part of pharmaceuticals used for human and veterinary medicine after administration in domestic sewage or on the soil. Drugs residues which have not been completely removed during passage through a sewage treatment plant (STP) enter the aquatic environment. The effects of such residual drugs in terrestrial and aquatic organisms are scarcely known.

Distribuição de metais pesados em sedimentos do sistema estuarino da Ilha de Vitória-ES

Heavy-metal concentration in sediment is an important parameter for identifying pollution sources and assessing pollution levels in aquatic ecosystems. In this context, the present study aimed at determining concentrations of heavy metals in sediments from the Vitória estuarine system, Brazil. Twenty nine stations were surveyed to assess the spatial distribution of heavy metals. The metals for silt-clay fractions (<63 µm) were analyzed through atomic absorption spectrometry. A discriminant analysis segregated the stations in four groups representing four areas within the estuarine system. The Espírito Santo Bay showed the lowest metal concentrations, while the Vitória harbor canal showed the highest. We concluded that concentrations of heavy metals reflect natural conditions and the contribution of human activities from sewage and industrial effluents. It was not possible to directly associate metal concentrations to specific pollution sources.

Fatores que governam a especiação do cobre em ambientes aquáticos urbanos: evidências da contribuição de sulfetos solúveis

Copper speciation and behavior in different rivers located in the city of Curitiba were evaluated in this work. Sampling locations were selected to cover different levels of urbanization regarding their anthropogenic occupation and land use. Results showed that in highly-developed areas, both organic matter and dissolved sulfides were able to control copper speciation. Dissolved sulfide species were the major complexing agent in areas where dissolved oxygen levels are low. Finally, it was demonstrated that in urban areas anthropogenic factors such as sewage inputs and occupation of the drainage basin are the key aspects controlling copper dynamics and speciation in river waters.

Desreguladores endócrinos no meio ambiente: efeitos e conseqüências

There is an increasing interest in micropollutants in the environment that can interfere with the endocrine system, affecting health, growth and reproduction of animals and humans. These substances are known as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and can be found in domestic sewage, domestic wastewater treatment plant effluents, and in natural and potable waters. There are numerous chemicals classified as EDCs, such as pesticides, chemicals used and produced by chemical industries and natural and synthetic estrogens. EDCs can be related to the increase of the incidence of anomalies in the reproductive system of animals, cancer in humans and reduction of the masculine fertility.

Tratamento estatístico dos parâmetros da qualidade das águas da bacia do alto curso do Rio das Velhas

Water quality was monitored at the upper course of the Rio das Velhas, a major tributary of the São Francisco basin located in the state of Minas Gerais, over an extension of 108 km from its source up to the limits with the Sabara district. Monitoring was done at 37 different sites over a period of 2 years (2003-2004) for 39 parameters. Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to interpret the large water-quality data set and to establish an optimal long-term monitoring network. Cluster analysis separated the sampling sites into groups of similarity, and also indicated the stations investigated for correlation and recommended to be removed from the monitoring network. Principal component analysis identified four components, which are responsible for the data structure explaining 80% of the total variance of the data. The principal parameters are characterized as due to mining activities and domestic sewage. Significant data reduction was achieved.

Teores de nitrato (NO3-) e amônio (NH4+) nas águas do aqüífero Barreiras nos bairros do Reduto, Nazaré e Umarizal - Belém/PA

This paper evaluates the occurrence of nitrate and ammonium in the Barreiras aquifer in the metropolitan area of Belém, Pará State, Brazil. The results show that some wells display ammonium and nitrate concentrations above or close to the limits of water potability regulations. The main cause of the pollution of these waters is related the local disposal of domestic effluents and/or leakage from pipes of old sewage systems.

Influência de métodos de digestão e massa de amostra na recuperação de nutrientes em resíduos orgânicos

The influence of nitric-perchloric, aqua regia, dry ashing and microwave digestion methods, in combination with 100 and 200 mg of sample, on the characterization and recovery of nutrients in samples of sludge sewage, poultry, swine, quail and bovine manures, organic compost, organic substrate and humic material were studied. Nitric-perchloric digestion with 200 mg samples recovered the higher nutrient contents. The nitric-perchloric method recovered also low levels of K. Dry ashing caused S volatilization and microwave digestion produced dark color extracts and this impaired S determination. Aqua regia recovered the lowest contents of nutrients in the organic residues evaluated.

Alteraciones químicas y fitodisponibilidad de níquel en suelo tratado con lodo albañal

The alteration of soil chemicals and its influence on availability (DTPA extractant method) and phytoavailability (63Ni L-value, isotopic method) of Ni was studied in sewage sludge-amended soil at different pHs. The soil pHs were 4.3, 5.3 and 5.9 and the rates of sewage sludge (SS) 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 Mg ha-1. The chemical and physicochemical soil characteristics were altered by the SS rate and increased the Ni availability and phytoavailability. The isotopic method (63Ni L-value) was more efficient in predicting the Ni phytoavailability that the Ni-DTPA extractant in soil pHs 5.3 and 5.9.

Marcadores orgânicos de contaminação por esgotos sanitários em sedimentos superficiais da baía de Santos, São Paulo

Organic markers, such as sterols and ketones, were used to assess sewage contamination in sediments from the Santos Bay, SP, and its continental shelf. These compounds were analyzed by GC/FID after soxhlet extraction, clean up and derivatization. The concentration of coprostanol and ratios between selected sterols were used to evaluate fecal contamination. The stations located in the mid-western part of the Santos Bay presented organic matter from sewage due to the input of fecal material from the city of Santos by submarine sewage outfall. Stations located at the continental shelf did not present fecal contamination. Coprostanol levels in sewage outfall stations were higher in comparison to other Brazilian coastal areas, except Guanabara Bay/RJ, and could be related to the fraction of the population without sewage treatment.

Fitodisponibilidad de Cd en suelo de diferente pH tratado con lodo albañal estimada por método isotópico y extracción química

The Cd phytoavailability in sewage sludge-amended soils of different pHs using the 109Cd L-value isotopic method and Cd extracted by DTPA has been determined. Maize plants (Zea mais L.) were grown under greenhouse conditions in a xanthic ferralsol at different pHs amended with five sewage sludge (SS) rates, and labeled with 74 kBq kg-1 of 109Cd. The SS rates altered the properties of the soil chemicals and these influenced the isotopic parameter (L-value) and percent of Cd uptake by plants from soil (%Cdpdfs) and SS (%CdpdfSS). L-values and Cd extracted by DTPA correlate significantly with SS rates and Cd uptake by plants and are efficient for predicting the Cd phytoavailability in the sewage sludge-amended soil.

Avaliação da composição química de sedimentos do Rio Barigüi na região metropolitana de Curitiba

Sediment samples from the Barigui River in Curitiba, south of Brazil, were evaluated following granulometric composition, organic carbon content, nitrogen, phosphorus and metals such as zinc, lead, chrome, nickel and cadmium. The sediments shown high percentage of phosphorus and nitrogen. Also the elemental organic C:N:P exceed the Redfield ratios possible because the large amount of sewage input into river. The presence of metals is also high, however the metal cadmium has not been found. But the other metals are in greater concentrations and possibly the presence of these metals is given by industrial and domestic sewage.

Degradação de fármacos residuais por processos oxidativos avançados

The concern about aquatic ecosystems and the potential risk of drinking water contamination by pharmaceuticals have stimulated the study of processes for the efficient degradation of these contaminants, since the conventional treatment have been inefficient on that purpose. The advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) appear as viable alternatives due to their efficiency on the degradation of different classes of organic contaminants. This review presents an overview of the main AOP (O3, H2O2/UV, TiO2/UV, Fenton and photo-Fenton) which have been applied to the degradation of different pharmaceuticals. The main results obtained, intermediates identified and toxicity data are presented.

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.

Caracterização de contaminantes presentes em sistemas de tratamento de esgotos, por cromatografia líquida acoplada à espectrometria de massas tandem em alta resolução

This work shows results on the characterization, by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-IT-TOF-MS) with electrospray ionization, of organic compounds present in raw and treated effluents from a combined sewage treatment systems (upflow anaerobic sludge blanket-trickling filter). The sewage samples were prepared by C18 solid phase extraction and the spectra obtained from the various extracts were submitted to principal component analysis to evaluate their pattern and identify the major deprotonated species. Some target compounds were submitted to semiquantitative analysis, using phenolphtalein as internal standard. The results showed the anaerobic step had little impact on the removal of anionic surfactants (LAS), fatty acids, and some contaminantes such as bisphenol A and bezafibrate, whereas the aerobic post-treatment was very efficient in removing these organics.