Métodos imunoquímicos para análise de contaminantes ambientais: conceitos, estado da arte e perspectivas

Immunoassay techniques provide simple, powerful and inexpensive methods for analysis of environmental contaminants. However, the acceptance of immunoassays is dependent on the clear demonstration of quality and validity compared to more traditional techniques. In this review, primarily, the understanding and the fundamentals of immunoassay methods are given in order to make good use of immunoassays, especially of EIA tests. Special attention is given to the concepts related to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) formats, such as inhibition concentration at 50% (IC50), detection limit (LOD), cross-reactivity (CR %). It is also explained why some immunoassays are quantitative methods whereas others can only be used as screening methods. A list of main commercial kits for detection of priority pollutants is given in order to help analysts. Others formats, such as flow-injection immunoassay analysis (FIIA), immunoassay chromatography and immunosensors are also cited.

Uso do Blue Rayon para extração/concentração de compostos policíclicos em amostras ambientais

This is a review about the use of Blue rayon in the extraction and concentration of environmental contaminants in the aquatic environment. Blue rayon is an adsorbent composed of fibers covalently linked with copper phthalocyanine trisulphonate that has the ability to selectively adsorb polycyclic compounds. Blue rayon can be used in situ, in columns or in flasks. This method showed to be efficient in the extraction of important classes of environmental contaminants like the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic amines and phenylbenzotriazoles (PBTAs) and can be an important tool in monitoring studies for the evaluation of water quality.

Fundamentos e aplicações ambientais dos processos fenton e foto-fenton

Wastewater and soil treatment processes based on Fenton's reagent have gained great attention in recent years due to its high oxidation power. This review describes the fundaments of the Fenton and photo-Fenton processes and discusses the main aspects related to the degradation of organic contaminants in water such as the complexation of iron, the use of solar light as the source of irradiation and the most important reactor types used. An overview of the main applications of the process to a variety of industrial wastewater and soil remediations is presented.

Utilização da extração em fase sólida (SPE) na determinação de hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos em matrizes aquosas ambientais

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a great environmental concern mainly because of their toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic potential. This paper reports utilization of the solid-phase extraction (SPE) technique to determine PAHs in environmental aqueous matrices. The recovery from environmental aqueous matrices fortified with PAHs varied from 63.7 to 93.1% for atmospheric liquid precipitation, from 38.3 to 95.1% for superficial river water, and from 71.0 to 95.5% for marine water. No negative matrix effect was observed for the recovery of PAHs from atmospheric liquid precipitation and marine water, but was observed for superficial river water, particularly for PAHs possessing 5 and 6 aromatic rings.

Estudo da capacidade de complexação e sua relação com algumas variáveis ambientais em cinco represas do Rio Tietê/Brasil

The copper and cadmium complexation properties in natural sediment suspensions of reservoirs of the Tietê River were studied using the solid membrane copper and cadmium ion-selective electrodes. The complexation and the average conditional stability constants were determined under equilibrium conditions at pH=6.00 ± 0.05 in a medium of 1.0 mol L-1 sodium nitrate, using the Scatchard method. The copper and cadmium electrodes presented Nernstian behavior from 1x10-6 to 1x10-3 mol L-1 of total metal concentration. Scatchard graphs suggest two classes of binding sites for both metals. A multivariate study was done to correlate the reservoirs and the variables: complexation properties, size, total organic carbon, volatile acid sulfide, E II and pH.

Cério: propriedades catalíticas, aplicações tecnológicas e ambientais

Cerium based-compounds have great importance in a wide range of technological applications, such as: fuel cell devices development; metallurgic processes, petroleum refining; glass and ceramic production. Recently, its catalytic properties have been also explored for environmental applications, especially those to prevent or to control atmospheric and water pollution. Subjects covered in this work include a brief description of the fundaments of cerium catalytic properties and some relevant technological applications. Special attention is given to its photocatalytic activity and its ability to degrade pollutants. Recent results and future prospect about these applications are also evaluated.

2-fenilbenzotriazóis (PBTA): uma nova classe de contaminantes ambientais

This work is a literature review of PBTAs, the phenylbenzotriazoles generated from the reduction and chlorination of azo dyes. The PBTAs and the non- chlorinated PBTAs were isolated for the first time from river blue rayon organic extracts that showed high mutagenic activity in the Salmonella/microsome genotoxicity assay. To date, 8 PBTAs have been identified and beside their mutagenic activity in bacteria they cause genotoxic effects in fish and mammalian cell cultures. Due to the large number of textile dyeing facilities in Brazil, studies to determine them in the aquatic environment seem to be relevant.

Visões de ciências de professores de química: a mídia e as reflexões no ambiente escolar no nível médio de ensino

The present paper discusses the influence of TV and general media on students scientific ideas and the teacher's perception of this influence on students during class time. 17 high-school chemistry teachers with teaching degree, working in state schools, were interviewed. The interviews showed that both, teachers and students, have a positive opinion of science and the scientist. According to their teachers, students' positive view of science is greatly influenced by TV. The developed study shows how important epistemology is in teachers' college formation to offer them a critical perception of science treated in general media.

Traçadores: o uso de agentes químicos para estudos hidrológicos, ambientais, petroquímicos e biológicos

This paper presents a revision of the history, definitions, and classification of tracers (natural and artificial, internal and external). The fundamental ideas concerning tracers are described, followed by their application illustrated by typical examples. The advantages and disadvantages of five classes among the most frequently used external tracers (fluorescent, microbial, chemical, radioactive and activable isotopes) are also described in detail. This review also presents some interesting and modern applications of tracers in the areas of diagnostics in medical practice, environmental pollution, hydrology and petroleum chemistry.

A quantidade de matéria nas ciências clássicas

The chemical amount values vary in a discrete or continuous form, depending on the approach used to describe the system. In classical sciences, the chemical amount is a property of the macroscopic system and, like any other property of the system, it varies continuously. This is neither inconsistent with the concept of indivisible particles forming the system, nor a mere approximation, but it is a sound concept which enables the use of differential calculus, for instance, in chemical thermodynamics. It is shown that the fundamental laws of chemistry are absolutely compatible to the continuous concept of the chemical amount.

Determinação seletiva de tributilestanho na presença de Sn(IV) em amostras ambientais usando HG-ICP OES e Saccharomyces cerevisiae como material sorvente

A method for selective determination of tributyltin in the presence of Sn(IV) by combining hydride generation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (HG-ICP OES) and solid phase extraction (SPE) using baker's yeast is proposed. The procedure is based on selective retention of TBT by the yeast at pH = 6. Detection limit of 1.9 µg L-1 and quantification limit of 6.3 µg L-1 were obtained. TBT and San(IV) were determined in the range of 0-25 µg L-1 and the proposed approach was applied to analyze river water, sea water and biological extracts, with recoveries of 114, 101 and 86%, respectively.

Ocorrência, comportamento e impactos ambientais provocados pela presença de antimicrobianos veterinários em solos

Antimicrobials, among other veterinary drugs, are used worldwide in industry and agriculture to protect animal health and prevent economic loss. In recent years, they have been detected in various environmental compartments, including soil, surface and groundwater and have become a topic of research interest. Emphasizing this class of compounds, this review presents the different pathways which veterinary drugs enter in the environment, in particular contaminate soils. Also are presented regulatory aspects and guidelines, adsorption/desorption and degradation of these compounds in soils and the consequences of its dispersal in the environment.

Efeitos das condições ambientais sobre o teor e variabilidade dos óleos voláteis de dalbergia frutescens (Vell.) Britton (Fabaceae)

The volatile oils of Dalbergia frutescens were obtained by hydrodistillation on a Clevenger-modified apparatus for every month of one year and assessed on GC/MS and GC/FID detectors for qualitative and quantitative analyses. The influence on content of volatile oils was directly proportional to the environmental variables, temperature and cloudiness, and inversely proportional to precipitation. Among the volatile compounds detected, linalool, β-damascenone, α-ionone, geranyl acetone and β-ionone were the main components, of which β-damascenone and β-ionone were found at the highest concentrations.

A abordagem de questões ambientais: contribuições de formadores de professores de componentes curriculares da área de ensino de química

This paper presents the results of a study involving current teachers of the chemistry teaching curricular components of twelve Chemistry licentiate courses at state universities in the South and South-east of Brazil. The aim was to analyse how these curricular components can work together to address environmental issues in Chemistry teacher-training. From analysis of the interviews, it can be ascertained for example that environmental themes in the curricular components analysed are treated with differing levels of intensity and perspectives, and in some cases, have a more illustrative character regarding chemistry concepts.

Tratamento de dados censurados em estudos ambientais

Due to the inherent limitations of the analytical methods of measurement, environmental exposure data often present observations described as below a certain detection limit, also called left-censored data. Censored data directly interferes in almost all types of statistical analyzes, including descriptive parameters, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, correlations and regressions. In this work, we investigated the performance of the main classes of methods from major publications available in the literature, considering their advantages and limitations. Some criteria for selecting the best method of dealing with censored data are presented.