Heavy metals availability and fractions in soil amended with biosolid composts

The heavy metals when linked to organic matter have a behavior in the soil that is still little known. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sewage-sludge-based composts when incorporated in the soil, in relation to heavy metals availability. Five composts were incorporated using sugar-cane bagasse, sewage sludge and cattle manure in the respective proportions: 75-0-25, 75-12.5-12.5, 75-25-0, 50-50-0 and 0-100-0 (composts with 0, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100% sewage sludge). The experiment consisted of 6 treatments (5 composts and a control with mineral fertilization) in randomized blocks with a split-plot design. The control and the treatment of 0% sewage sludge received inorganic nitrogen (N). All the treatments received the same amount of N (8.33 g) K (5.80 g) and K (8.11 g) per pot. Tomato plants were cultivated in 24.0 L pots in a greenhouse in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. The concentrations of heavy metals were determined in the soil samples at day 0 after compost incorporation. The higher the sewage sludge doses, the higher heavy metal contents in the soil. Among extractants, Melhlich-1 extracted the highest amount of heavy metals, while DTPA extracted the lowest one. The residual fraction presented the highest heavy metal content, followed by Fe oxides crystalline and amorphous to Cu, Cr and Mn, and Mn oxides, and Fe amorphous to Zn, indicating strong associations to oxides and clays. There were significant positive correlations between Mn contents in the plant and Mn linked to Fe oxide amorphous and crystalline.

Effects of the biodegradation on biodegradable polymer blends and polypropylene

The large use of plastics in the world generates a large amount of waste which persists around 200 years in the environment. To minimize this effect is important to search some new polymer materials: the blends of biodegradable polymers with synthetic polymers. It is a large area that needs an Intensive research to investigate the blends properties and its behavior face to the different treatments to aim at the blodegradation. The blends used In this work are: some blodegradable polymers such as: poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(s-polycaprolactone) (PCL) with a synthetic polymer, polypropylene (PP), in lower concentration. These blends were prepared using an internal mixer (Torque Rheometer), and pressed. These films were submitted to fungus biotreatment. The films analyses will be carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), UV-Vis absorption (UV-Vis), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), DSC and TGA. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Anti-nociceptive effects of Carpolobia lutea G. Don (Polygalaceae) leaf fractions in animal models

Leaves from Carpolobia lutea (Polygalaceae) were screened to establish the antiulcer ethnomedicinal claim and to quantitatively isolate, elucidate the active compounds by semi-preparative HPLC. The anti-nociceptive effects of Carpolobia lutea (CL) G. Don (Polygalaceae) organic leaf extracts were tested in experimental models in mice. The anti-nociceptive mechanism was determined using tail-flick test, acetic acid-induced abdominal constrictions, formalin-induced hind paw licking and the hot plate test. The fractions (ethanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, n-hexane) and crude ethyl acetate extract of CL (770 mg/kg, i.p.) produced significant inhibitions of both phases of the formalin-induced pain in mice, a reduction in acetic acid-induced writhing as well as and an elevation of the pain threshold in the hot plate test in mice. The inhibitions were greater to those produced by indomethacin (5 mg/kg, i.p.). Ethyl acetate fraction revealed cinnamic and coumaric acids derivatives, which are described for the first time in literature. These cinnamalglucosides polyphenols characterised from CL may in part account for the pharmacological activities. These findings confirm its ethnomedical use in anti-inflammatory pain and in pains from gastric ulcer-associated symptoms. © 2011 Springer Basel AG.

Evaluation of the toxicity of Virola sebifera crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds on the nest of leaf-cutting ants

The phytochemical study of Virola sebifera leaves led to the isolation of three lignans: (+)-sesamin, (-)-hinokinin, and (-)-kusunokinin and three flavonoids: quercetin-3-O - L-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O - D-glucoside, and quercetin-3-methoxy-7-O - D-glucoside by using techniques as high-speed counter-current chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The crude extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds were evaluated for their insecticidal and fungicidal potential against Atta sexdens rubropilosa and its symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. The bioassay results showed a high insecticidal activity for the methanol crude extract of the leaves of V. sebifera and its n-hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions. The fungicidal bioassay revealed high toxicity of the lignans against L. gongylophorus. © 2012 Keylla Utherdyany Bicalho et al.

Study of polypropylene surface modification by air dielectric barrier discharge operated at two different frequencies

In this work, air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operating at the line frequency (60 Hz) or at frequency of 17 kHz was used to improve the wetting properties of polypropylene (PP). The changes in the surface hydrophilicity were investigated by contact angle measurements. The plasma-induced chemical modifications of PP surface were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The polymer surface morphology and roughness before and after the DBD treatment were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). To compare the plasma treatment effect at different frequencies the variation of the contact angle is presented as a function of the deposited energy density. The results show that both DBD treatments leaded to formation of water-soluble low molecular weight oxidized material (LMWOM), which agglomerated into small mounts on the surface producing a complex globular structure. However, the 60 Hz DBD process produced higher amount of LMWOM on the PP surface comparing to the 17 kHz plasma treatment with the same energy dose. The hydrophilic LMWOM is weakly bounded to the surface and can be easily removed by polar solvents. After washing the DBD-treated samples in de-ionized water their surface roughness and oxygen content were reduced and the PP partially recovered its original wetting characteristics. This suggested that oxidation also occurred at deeper and more permanent levels of the PP samples. Comparing both DBD processes the 17 kHz treatment was found to be more efficient in introducing oxygen moieties on the surface and also in improving the PP wetting properties. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gastroprotective effect of the ethanolic extract and fractions obtained from syngonanthus bisulcatus Rul

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Antioxidant and cytotoxic effects of crude extract, fractions and 4-nerolidylcathecol from aerial parts of pothomorphe umbellata L. (Piperaceae)

The crude ethanolic extract from aerial parts of Pothomorphe umbellata L. (Piperaceae) and fractions obtained by partitions sequentially among water-methanol, methylene chloride, and ethyl acetate, as well as the major constituent, 4-nerolidylcatechol, were, respectively, evaluated and evidenced for antioxidant and cytotoxic effects through fluorometric microplate and microculture tetrazolium assays in HL-60 cells. The crude ethanolic extract demonstrated the preeminent antioxidant activity (IC50 = 1.2 μg/mL) against exogenous cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species, followed by the water-methanolic (IC50 = 4.5 μg/mL), methylene chloride (IC 50 = 5.9 g/mL), ethyl acetate (IC50 = 8.0 g/mL), 4-nerolidylcatechol (IC50 = 8.6 g/mL), and the sterol fractions (IC50 > 12.5 μg/mL). Vitamin C, the positive control used in this assay, presented IC50 value equivalent to 1.7 μg/mL. 4-Nerolidylcatechol (IC50 = 0.4 μg/mL) and methylene chloride fraction (IC50 = 2.3 μg/mL) presented considerable cytotoxicity probably because of the presence of an o-quinone, an auto-oxidation by product of the catechol. Polar compounds, present in the ethanol extract, appear to increase the solubility and stability of the major active constituent, acting synergistically with 4-nerolidylcatechol, improving its pharmacokinetic parameters and increasing significantly its antioxidant activity which, in turn, suggests that the aqueous-ethanolic extract, used in folklore medicine, is safe and effective. © 2013 Andrey P. Lopes et al.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic evaluation of hydroalcoholic extract and fractions from seeds of Piper cubeba L. (Piperaceae)

Some of the Piper species have been applied for the treatment of several diseases (anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic), considering multiple applications used in traditional medicine of different countries. About these, the present study evaluated some biological activities of Piper cubeba, as writhing test induced by acetic acid, ear edema induced by croton oil and paw edema induced by carrageenan were used by evaluated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of crude hydroalcoholic extract (PCE) and its fractions of different polarities of P. cubeba L. seeds. The lethal dose (LD50) and the effective dose (ED50) were evaluated too. Both the PCE and dichloromethane fraction showed decrease values of edema and abdominal constrictions. The results obtained in this study confirm the low toxicity and analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of PCE from P. cubeba seeds, justifying its use in folk medicine. Copyright © 2013, Phcog.Net, Published by Reed Elsevier India Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cover crops and no-till effects on physical fractions of soil organic matter

Physical fractions (free light fraction, intra-aggregate light fraction and heavy fraction) of soil organic matter (SOM) are good indicators of soil quality for sustainable land use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of cover crops on total organic carbon (TOC) and physical fractions of soil organic matter in soil under a no-tillage system (NTS) and a conventional tillage system (CTS, one plowing and two disking). A three-year field experiment was carried out as a cover crop-rice (Oryza sativa)-cover crop-rice rotation. Treatments included cover crops (Panicum maximum, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Brachiaria brizantha, and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), fallow, till or no till. The SOM was physically fractionated in free light fraction (FLF), intra-aggregates light fraction (IALF) and heavy fraction (HF). The levels of C in whole soil were also evaluated, as well as C in the light fractions (FLF+IALF) and in the HF. Results indicated that concentrations of C in the FLF and IALF in surface soils (0-0.05m) were much higher (10.8 and 1.95gkg-1, respectively) than that in the 0.05-0.1m soil depth (7.68 and 1.54gkg-1, respectively) and in the 0.1-0.2m soil depth (4.98 and 1.24gkg-1, respectively). The NTS resulted in higher levels of FLF (12.2gkg-1) and IALF (2.19gkg-1) than with CTS (1.37-7.30gkg-1). Millet had the highest C (19.5gkg-1) and N (1.1gkg-1) concentrations in soil. There was an accumulation of TOC and total N in the surface soil with cover crops, and concentrations of TOC were higher in the HF (79.0%) than in the light fractions (21.0%). Although SOM changed little during the two years of this experiment, the various C fractions were significantly affected by the tillage treatments. We conclude that SOM physical fractionation allowed seeing significant differences caused by the soil management in the organic matter dynamics in a short period of time. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Composition and quantification of the anthropogenic and natural fractions of wastes collected from the stormwater drainage system for discussions about the waste management and people behavior

A study was made of the composition of wastes collected from the pipes of the stormwater drainage system of Sorocaba, SP, Brazil (600 thousand inhabitants). A total of 10 samples weighing at least 100 kg each were sorted into 19 items to determine the fraction that can be considered natural (earth/sand, stones, organic matter, and water, the latter determined after oven-drying the samples) and the anthropogenic fraction (the remaining 15 items, especially construction and demolition wastes and packaging). Soil/sand was found to be the main item collected (52.5 % dry weight), followed by the water soaked into the waste (24.3 %), which meant that all the other wastes were saturated in mud, whose contents varied from 6.4 % (glass) to 87.2 % (metalized plastics packaging). In general, 83 % of the collected wastes can be classified as natural, but the remaining 17 % represent 2,000 kg of the most varied types of wastes discarded improperly every day on the streets of the city. This is an alarming amount of wastes that may clog parts of the drainage systems, causing troubles for all the population (like flooding) and must be strongly considered in municipal solid wastes management and in environmental education programs. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Effect of treatment with l-amino oxidase fractions, from Bothrops jararaca venom on Ehrlich ascites tumor growth

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Determination of reactivity rates of silicate particle-size fractions

The efficiency of sources used for soil acidity correction depends on reactivity rate (RR) and neutralization power (NP), indicated by effective calcium carbonate (ECC). Few studies establish relative efficiency of reactivity (RER) for silicate particle-size fractions, therefore, the RER applied for lime are used. This study aimed to evaluate the reactivity of silicate materials affected by particle size throughout incubation periods in comparison to lime, and to calculate the RER for silicate particle-size fractions. Six correction sources were evaluated: three slags from distinct origins, dolomitic and calcitic lime separated into four particle-size fractions (2, 0.84, 0.30 and <0.30-mm sieves), and wollastonite, as an additional treatment. The treatments were applied to three soils with different texture classes. The dose of neutralizing material (calcium and magnesium oxides) was applied at equal quantities, and the only variation was the particle-size material. After a 90-day incubation period, the RER was calculated for each particle-size fraction, as well as the RR and ECC of each source. The neutralization of soil acidity of the same particle-size fraction for different sources showed distinct solubility and a distinct reaction between silicates and lime. The RER for slag were higher than the limits established by Brazilian legislation, indicating that the method used for limes should not be used for the slags studied here.

The effects of different inspired oxygen fractions on gas exchange and Tei-index of myocardial performance in propofol-anesthetized dogs

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Leishmanicidal activity of the crude extract, fractions and major piperidine alkaloids from the flowers of Senna spectabilis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Leishmanicidal activity of Brosimum glaziovii (Moraceae) and chemical composition of the bioactive fractions by using high-resolution gas chromatography and GC-MS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)