Poluição e a densidade de vegetação: BTEX em algumas áreas públicas de Curitiba - PR, Brasil

The occurrence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in some public areas of Curitiba-PR, Brazil, was evaluated. Their concentrations were then related to the vegetation's density in each area. Average benzene concentrations varied from 3.9 to 6.1 μg m-3, with higher values occurring in poorly dense vegetation areas. For toluene, average concentrations ranged from 6.5 to 7.2 μg m-3. The effect of such pollutants was evaluated by means of a bio indicator, Tillandsia stricta. Variation in total chlorophyll content and in stomatic density were detected in some samples and may be related to the BTEX concentrations found in the studied areas.

Alteração da atividade enzimática em organismos aquáticos por poluentes de origem agrícola: uma abordagem geral e sobre a suscetibilidade da fosfatase ácida

The input of agrochemicals in the aquatic compartment can results in biochemical injuries for living organisms. In this context, the knowledge of alterations of enzymatic activities due the presence of agriculture pollutants contributes for the elucidation of the mechanisms of toxicity, implementation of economic methods for monitoring purposes and establishment of maximum allowed concentrations. In the present work, the above considerations are discussed, and data concerning changes in enzymatic function by pesticides and fertilizer contaminants are reviewed. Also, we focused on the acid phosphatase due its susceptibility to several pollutants and diversity in cellular functions.

Análise de compostos sulfurados em efluentes gasosos de refinaria de petróleo

This work discusses an analytical procedure for analysis of sulfur compounds in treated petroleum refinery gaseous effluents using a sulfur chemiluminescence detector with dual plasma burner (SCD-DP). Calibration was accomplished by using standards and gaseous streams of known concentration of sulfur compounds. The response factors agree with the calibration table of ASTM standard D 5504 (2008). The detection range for sulfur compounds is in μg m-3. The analytical procedure allowed the construction of a chromatographic chart of sulfur compounds present in several refinery gaseous effluents. SO2 was the most difficult compound to be determined because of its high reactivity.

Evaluation of sample processing methods for the polar contaminant analysis of sewage sludge using liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC/MS)

Monitoring of sewage sludge has proved the presence of many polar anthropogenic pollutants since LC/MS techniques came into routine use. While advanced techniques may improve characterizations, flawed sample processing procedures, however, may disturb or disguise the presence and fate of many target compounds present in this type of complex matrix before analytical process starts. Freeze-drying or oven-drying, in combination with centrifugation or filtration as sample processing techniques were performed followed by visual pattern recognition of target compounds for assessment of pretreatment processes. The results shown that oven-drying affected the sludge characterization, while freeze-drying led to less analytical misinterpretations.

Degradação fotocatalítica de sulfametoxazol, trimetoprima e diclofenaco em solução aquosa

In this work the photocatalytic degradation of sulfametoxazole, trimethoprim and potassium diclofenac was evaluated by using TiO2 and ZnO photocatalysts. In optimized experimental conditions (pH 4, TiO2: 50 mg) the TiO2-photocatalysis allowed an almost total degradation of the studied drugs with mineralization of about 80% at reaction times of 120 min. Some mechanistic differences were observed between TiO2 and ZnO in the degradation study involving potassium diclofenac. At the first reaction times the use of ZnO leads to generation of transient species that strongly absorb in the UV spectral region, a fact not observed in studies involving TiO2.

Alternativas verdes para o preparo de amostra e determinação de poluentes fenólicos em água

The restricted availability of water sources suitable for consumption and high costs for obtaining potable water has caused an increase of the conscience concerning the use. Thus, there is a high demand for "environmentally safe methods" which are according to the principles of Green Chemistry. Moreover, these methods should be able to provide reliable results for the analysis of water quality for various pollutants, such as phenol. In this work, greener alternatives for sample preparation for phenol determination in aqueous matrices are presented, which include: liquid phase microextraction, solid phase microextraction, flow analysis, cloud point extraction and aqueous two-phase systems.

Variabilidade espacial e temporal de parâmetros físico-químicos nos rios Turvo, Preto e Grande no estado de São Paulo, Brasil

This work aims to study spatial and seasonal variability of some chemical-physical parameters in the Turvo/Grande watershed, São Paulo State, Brazil. Water samples were taken monthly, 2007/07-2008/11, from fourteen sampling stations sited along the Turvo, Preto and Grande Rivers and its main tributaries. The Principal Component Analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis showed two distinct groups in this watershed, the first one associated for the places more impacted by domestic effluent (lower levels of dissolved oxygen in the studied region). The sampling places located to downstream (Turvo and Grande rivers) were discriminate by diffuse source of pollutants from flooding and agriculture runoffs in a second group.

Gas-phase solvolysis type reactions of SiCl3+ cations

Gas-phase SiCl3+ ions undergo sequential solvolysis type reactions with water, methanol, ammonia, methylamine and propylene. Studies carried out in a Fourier Transform mass spectrometer reveal that these reactions are facile at 10-8 Torr and give rise to substituted chlorosilyl cations. Ab initio and DFT calculations reveal that these reactions proceed by addition of the silyl cation to the oxygen or nitrogen lone pair followed by a 1,3-H migration in the transition state. These transition states are calculated to lie below the energy of the reactants. By comparison, hydrolysis of gaseous CCl3+ is calculated to involve a substantial positive energy barrier.

Determinação de constituintes químicos em madeira de eucalipto por Pi-CG/EM e calibração multivariada: comparação entre redes neurais artificiais e máquinas de vetor suporte

Multivariate models were developed using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Least Square - Support Vector Machines (LS-SVM) for estimating lignin siringyl/guaiacyl ratio and the contents of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin in eucalyptus wood by pyrolysis associated to gaseous chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The results obtained by two calibration methods were in agreement with those of reference methods. However a comparison indicated that the LS-SVM model presented better predictive capacity for the cellulose and lignin contents, while the ANN model presented was more adequate for estimating the hemicelluloses content and lignin siringyl/guaiacyl ratio.

Aplicações de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência para o estudo de poluentes orgânicos emergentes

Emerging organic pollutants (EOP) include many environmental contaminants based on commercial products such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, detergents, gasoline, polymers, etc. EOP may be candidates for future regulation as they offer potential risk to environmental and human health due to their continual entrance into the environment and to the fact that even the most modern wastewater treatment plants are not able to totally transform / remove these compounds. High performance liquid chromatography is recommended to separate emerging organic pollutants with characteristics of high polarity and low volatility, especially pharmaceuticals, from environmental matrices.

Avaliação do efeito de gases poluentes na corrosão metálica: um experimento para o ensino da corrosão

In this work one proposes a didactic experience to simulate atmospheric corrosion of copper and nickel, due to sulfur dioxide presence. This is an opportunity to understand some basic aspects of atmospheric corrosion, by using fundamental concepts in chemistry, reactions of extraction and characterization of pollutants, as well as their participation in corrosion process. This subject opens a space for discussion about necessity of pollutant gases emissions control for preservation of materials and the environment.

Inventário de emissão de fontes veiculares da Região Metropolitana de Campinas, São Paulo

The degradation of air quality in great urban centers is noted by frequent critical episodes of air pollution and public health issues, and vehicles are a great source of pollutant emissions, mainly derived from combustion processes. A database is needed to direct mitigation of emissions. The main objective of this work is to present it as an emissions inventory. The results show that vehicular sources of CO, HC and NOx represent over 75% of total emissions in the MRC. Besides, the proposed methodology presented results consistent with the literature

Tratamentos dos efluentes gerados na produção de biodiesel

The wastewaters from biodiesel production contain as primarily wastes sodium or potassium soaps, fatty acids, glycerin, alcohol and other contaminants. In general, these waters are chemically unsuitable for release to any water body, so, it is necessary the adoption of techniques for the treatment of this effluent. In this review, electrochemical, biological, physicochemical, and combined treatments reported for the removal of the wastewater containing pollutants come from biodiesel production have been summarized. In addition, the recovery, the reuse, the energy production and the synthesis of new compounds from the organic matter contained in this kind of effluent are also reviewed.

Efeito da adição de lantânio em catalisadores de Ni/ZrO2 aplicados na reação de reforma a vapor de etanol

The catalytic performance of Ni/ZrO2 catalysts loaded with different lanthanum content for steam reforming of ethanol was investigated. Catalysts were characterized by BET surface area, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, temperature programmed reduction, and X-ray absorption fine structure techniques. Results showed that lanthanum addition led to an increase in the degree of reduction of both NiO and nickel surface species interacting with the support, due to the higher dispersion effect. The best catalytic performance at 450 ºC was found for the Ni/12LZ catalyst, which exhibited an effluent gaseous mixture with the highest H2 yield.

Degradação de poluentes emergentes por processos Fenton e foto-Fenton

A continuous photochemical treatment system was developed for aiming the treatment of aqueous solutions containing relevant micro-pollutants (microcystin-LR, sulfamethoxazole and 17-b estradiol). The continuous photo-Fenton process provided high degradation efficiency. However, contact time between samples and the irradiated region is short relative to total treatment time, indicating that observed changes are predominantly due to the Fenton process. Higher degradation efficiency was observed in systems operated using two treatment cycles, the first involving a batch Fenton process and the second a continuous photo-Fenton treatment.