Assessment of cytotoxicity and AhR-mediated toxicity in tropical fresh water sediments under the influence of an oil refinery

Oil refinery effluents contain many chemicals at variable concentrations. Therefore, it is difficult to predict potential effects on the environment. The Atibaia River (SP, Brazil), which serves as a source of water supply for many municipalities, receives the effluents of one of the biggest oil refinery of this country. The aim of this study was to identify the (eco)toxicity of fresh water sediments under the influence of this oil refinery through neutral red (cytotoxicity) and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assays (AhR-mediated toxicity) in RTL-W1 cells (derived from fish liver). Once the refinery captures the waters of Jaguarí River for the development of its activities and discharges its effluents after treatment into the Atibaia River, which then flows into Piracicaba River, sediments from both river systems were also investigated. The samples showed a high cytotoxic potential, even when compared to well-known pollution sites. However, the cytotoxicity of samples collected downstream the effluent was not higher than that of sediments collected upstream, which suggested that the refinery discharges are not the main source of pollution in those areas. No EROD activity could be recorded, which could be confirmed by chemical analyses of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that revealed a high concentration of phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, and pyrene, which are not EROD inducers in RTL-W1 cells. In contrast, high concentrations of PAHs were found upstream the refinery effluent, corroborating cytotoxicity results from the neutral red assay. A decrease of PAHs was recorded from upstream to downstream the refinery effluent, probably due to dilution of compounds following water discharges. On the other hand, these discharges apparently contribute specifically to the amount of anthracene in the river, since an increase of anthracene concentrations could be recorded downstream the effluent. Since the extrapolation of results from acute toxicity to specific toxic effects with different modes of action is a complex task, complementary bioassays covering additional specific effects should be applied in future studies for better understanding of the overall ecotoxicity of those environments.

Biosurfactants production by yeasts using soybean oil and glycerol as low cost substrate

Biosurfactants are bioactive agents that can be produced by many different microorganisms. Among those, special attention is given to yeasts, since they can produce many types of biosurfactants in large scale, using several kinds of substrates, justifying its use for industrial production of those products. For this production to be economically viable, the use of residual carbon sources is recommended. The present study isolated yeasts from soil contaminated with petroleum oil hydrocarbons and assessed their capacity for producing biosurfactants in low cost substrates. From a microbial consortium enriched, seven yeasts were isolated, all showing potential for producing biosurfactants in soybean oil. The isolate LBPF 3, characterized as Candida antarctica, obtained the highest levels of production - with a final production of 13.86 g/L. The isolate LBPF 9, using glycerol carbon source, obtained the highest reduction in surface tension in the growth medium: approximately 43% of reduction after 24 hours of incubation. The products obtained by the isolates presented surfactant activity, which reduced water surface tension to values that varied from 34 mN/m, obtained from the product of isolates LBPF 3 and 16 LBPF 7 (respectively characterized as Candida antarctica and Candida albicans) to 43 mN/m from the isolate LPPF 9, using glycerol as substrate. The assessed isolates all showed potential for the production of biosurfactants in conventional sources of carbon as well as in agroindustrial residue, especially in glycerol.

Caracterização da distribuição física dos dolomitos do membro Búzios no Campo de Badejo - Bacia de Campos

In the region of Badejo oil Ffeld (Campos Basin) lies an Lower Albian dolomitic layer that shows reservoir rock and seal conditions, among others and, it is occasionally karstified. This work applies geostatistical techniques of ordinary and indicatior kriging, in an attempt to determine a method that assists the analysis of different scenarios offered for petroleum drilling from a quantitative point of view this fact is justified, because there are different visions and strategies that would be adopted under different dolomite conditions (stable - low porosity and high density; reservoir - high porosity and medium density; instable - high porosity and low dentisty). The main objective is a methodological introduction that has not been tested in dolomites before aiming to characterize the distribution of the three conditions described above by ordinary and indicatior kriging, which was based on the obtained data from the dolomite layer identification through well logs interpretation and correlation, followed by seismic interpretation. In addition, it was generated structural contour maps, based on 2D and 3D seismic data interpretation, and then, seismic attributes maps were calculated, in order to transform them into pseudo-density maps, i.e., maps that correlate the density values with the attribute values. As primary results, structural contour maps and seismic attributes were obtained and ordinary and indicatior kriging maps were done, on which it is possible to interpret the distribution of the main reservoir and risk probability for drilling of exploration wells obtaining trends N35E and N10W direction for areas of stability or reservoir levels, while the central part of the map presents a higher risk for loss of drilling fluid. The cut-off values levels were based on the values of first and third quartiles of cumulative histogram (instable and stable zones, respectively), as well as the reservoir level was set as the interval...

Addition of lipolytic enzyme in anaerobic co-digestion of swine manure and inclusion levels of waste vegetable oil

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

Sistemas petrolíferos especulativos da bacia de Pelotas (offshore do Uruguai)

Pós-graduação em Geociências e Meio Ambiente - IGCE

Estudo do efeito Bauschinger em tubos de aço API 5l x70 aplicados no transporte de petróleo e gás

Despite the growing concern in seeking more sustainable energy sources, oil demand is likely to grow in coming years. To keep up with this growth, the oil industry has increasingly invested in innovation and efficiency. Knowing that, new technologies have been developed to explore deeper waters, without giving up the best practices in worldwide operational safety. The use of rigid pipelines in deepwater offshore facilities is increasing quickly and because of this, the ways of storing and launching pipe have been studied and perfected. In this paper the Bauschinger effect on API 5L X70 steel was analyzed proving that there was a reduction in yield strength when an effort was applied in a previous direction, then an effort was then applied in the opposite direction. To observe this phenomenon, the tensile test was conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the base metal, such as yield stress, tensile strength, elasticity and maximum tensile, so then compare it with the results obtained in the Bauschinger Effect Test. The analysis results showed that the steel had high resistance, with good plastic deformation capacity without failing, well-defined yield point, showing itself appropriate for the operation of oil and gas pipes

Estudo do efeito Bauschinger em tubos de aço API 5l x70 aplicados no transporte de petróleo e gás

Despite the growing concern in seeking more sustainable energy sources, oil demand is likely to grow in coming years. To keep up with this growth, the oil industry has increasingly invested in innovation and efficiency. Knowing that, new technologies have been developed to explore deeper waters, without giving up the best practices in worldwide operational safety. The use of rigid pipelines in deepwater offshore facilities is increasing quickly and because of this, the ways of storing and launching pipe have been studied and perfected. In this paper the Bauschinger effect on API 5L X70 steel was analyzed proving that there was a reduction in yield strength when an effort was applied in a previous direction, then an effort was then applied in the opposite direction. To observe this phenomenon, the tensile test was conducted to determine the mechanical properties of the base metal, such as yield stress, tensile strength, elasticity and maximum tensile, so then compare it with the results obtained in the Bauschinger Effect Test. The analysis results showed that the steel had high resistance, with good plastic deformation capacity without failing, well-defined yield point, showing itself appropriate for the operation of oil and gas pipes

Screening, immobilization and utilization of whole cell biocatalysts to mediate the ethanolysis of babassu oil

The screening. biomass growth of lipase-producing fungus isolated from different sources and available at URM (University Recife Mycologia). as well as, the immobilization and utilization of the whole cells for the transesterification of babassu oil were investigated. Rhizopus oryzae (URM 3231, 4692), Mucor circinelloides (URM 4140, 4182) and Penicillium citrinum URM 4216 were considered to be good intracellular lipase producers whereas those from Mucor hiemalis URM 4144 and Mucor piriformis URM 4145 were weaker. Fungi biomass containing high lipase activities was immobilized on different biomass support particles (BSPs) and with the exception of Penicillium citrinum URM 4216 all the other fungi strains exhibited high lipase activity (20-50 Ug(-1)) when immobilized in situ using polyurethane foam particles. Transesterification activities of the immobilized whole cells were evaluated in the ethanolysis reaction with babassu oil and the highest performance was attained by M. circinelloides URM 4182 giving 83.22 +/- 3.68% ester yield in less than 96 h reaction. The biocatalyst operational stability was also assessed and an inactivation profile was found to follow the Arrhenius model, revealing values of 26 days and 2.6 x 10(-2)day(-1), for half-life and a deactivation coefficient, respectively. The purified product (biodiesel) exhibited viscosity (6.63 cSt) close to the value to attend specifications by the ASTM 06751 to be used as biofuel. Results are favorable compared with data already reported in the literature and demonstrated that M. circinelloides URM 4182 whole cells is a cheaper biocatalyst that can be used in the biodiesel synthesis. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rice oil as a soybean oil replacement in weanling pig diets

The motivation for including oils in the diets of weanling pigs is to increase dietary energy density to meet the pigs' energy requirements. The purpose of this study was to determine the digestible and metabolizable energy values of semi-refined rice oil (RO) and refined soybean oil (SO) for weanling pigs (Experiment 1), as well as to evaluate how replacing SO with RO in weanling pig diets affects performance, intestinal histology, organ morphometry and the occurrence of diarrhea (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1,21 barrows, averaging 19.63 +/- 0.37 kg body weight (BW), were used in a randomized complete block design experiment, with seven replications per treatment and one pig per experimental unit (metabolism cage). The treatments consisted of a reference diet and two test diets. The test diets were obtained by using 90% of the reference diet and 10% of RO or SO. The experimental period consisted of a 7 days adaptation period, followed by a 5 days collection period of feces and urine. The values of the apparent digestible energy, apparent metabolizable energy and N-corrected apparent metabolizable energy of the oils were, respectively, 26.24, 25.78 and 26.01 MJ kg(-1) for RO and 31.74, 31.35 and 31.51 MJ kg(-1) for SO. In Experiment 2, 120 weaned pigs, castrated males and females, averaging 6.74 +/- 0.42 kg BW, were used in a randomized complete block design experiment, with eight replications per treatment and three pigs per experimental unit (pen) to evaluate the effects of five replacement levels of SO with RO in isonutritive weanling pig diets. The treatments were as follows: 4:0 basal diet with 4% of SO; 3:1 basal diet with 3% of SO and 1% of RO; 2:2 basal diet with 2% of SO and 2% of RO; 1:3 basal diet with 1% of SO and 3% of RO; and 0:4 basal diet with 4% of RO. No effects of the replacement levels were observed in the weanling pigs' performance, organ morphometry or in their occurrence of diarrhea. However, a quadratic effect on the villus width and a cubic effect on the villus height:crypt depth ratio were observed in the duodenum. Therefore, if the determined values of energy are used in the feed formulation, refined soybean oil can be replaced with semi-refined rice oil in weanling pig diets without affecting their growth performance. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

H-1 low- and high-field NMR study of the effects of plasma treatment on the oil and water fractions in crude heavy oil

The chemical and physical properties of a Brazilian heavy oil submitted to plasma treatment were investigated by H-1 low-and high-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) combined to the characterization of rheological properties, thermogravimetry and measurement of basic sediments and water (BSW) content. The crude oil was treated in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor, using natural gas, CO2 or H-2 as working gas. The results indicated a large drop in the water content of the plasma-treated samples as compared to the crude oil, giving rise to a reduction in the viscosity. No significant chemical change was produced in the oil portion itself, as observed by H-1 NMR. The water contents determined by H-1 low-field NMR analyses agreed well with those obtained by BSW, indicating the low-field NMR methods as a useful tool for following the effects of plasma treatments on heavy oils, allowing the separation of the effects caused on the water and oil fractions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term effects of oil pollution in mangrove forests (Baixada Santista, Southeast Brazil) detected using a GIS-based multitemporal analysis of aerial photographs

Oil spills are potential threats to the integrity of highly productive coastal wetlands, such as mangrove forests. In October 1983, a mangrove area of nearly 300 ha located on the southeastern coast of Brazil was impacted by a 3.5 million liter crude oil spill released by a broken pipeline. In order to assess the long-term effects of oil pollution on mangrove vegetation, we carried out a GIS-based multitemporal analysis of aerial photographs of the years 1962, 1994, 2000 and 2003. Photointerpretation, visual classification, class quantification, ground-truth and vegetation structure data were combined to evaluate the oil impact. Before the spill, the mangroves exhibited a homogeneous canopy and well-developed stands. More than ten years after the spill, the mangrove vegetation exhibited three distinct zones reflecting the long-term effects of the oil pollution. The most impacted zone (10.5 ha) presented dead trees, exposed substrate and recovering stands with reduced structural development. We suggest that the distinct impact and recovery zones reflect the spatial variability of oil removal rates in the mangrove forest. This study identifies the multitemporal analysis of aerial photographs as a useful tool for assessing a system's capacity for recovery and monitoring the long-term residual effects of pollutants on vegetation dynamics, thus giving support to mangrove forest management and conservation.

Correlation of soil microbial community responses to contamination with crude oil with and without chromium and copper

Soil microcosms contaminated with crude oil with or without chromium and copper were monitored over a period of 90 days for microbial respiration, biomass, and for dehydrogenase, lipase, acid phosphatase, and arylsulfatase activities. In addition, the community structure was followed by enumerating the total heterotrophic and oil-degrading viable bacteria and by performing a denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the PCR amplified 16S rDNA. A significant difference was observed for biochemical activities and microbial community structures between the microcosms comprised of uncontaminated soil, soil contaminated with crude oil and soil contaminated with crude oil and heavy metals. The easily measured soil enzyme activities correlated well with microbial population levels, community structures and rates of respiration (CO2 production). The estimation of microbial responses to soil contamination provides a more thorough understanding of the microbial community function in contaminated soil, in situations where technical and financial resources are limited and may be useful in addressing bioremediation treatability and effectiveness. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Ultrastructural changes in the ovary cells of engorged Rhipicephalus sanguineus female ticks treated with esters of ricinoleic acid from castor oil (Ricinus communis)

Rhipicephalus sanguineus is a widely distributed tick species that has adapted to the urban environment, and the dog is its main host. This species is also known as a vector and reservoir of diseases caused by bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. Currently, acaricides of synthetic chemical origin have been widely and indiscriminately used, leading to the development of resistance to these products by ticks and causing damage to the environment. Thus, these issues have made it necessary to seek other forms of controlling these ectoparasites. R. sanguineus was artificially infested in host New Zealand White rabbits, which were divided into four treatment groups: control (CG1 and CG2) and treatment (TG1 and TG2) groups. TG1 and TG2 hosts were provided with feed supplemented with esters of ricinoleic acid from castor oil at a concentration of 5 g/kg of feed for 7 and 15 days. Afterward, the ovaries of the female ticks were removed for analysis by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed ultrastructural changes in the somatic and germ cells of ovaries from TG1 and TG2 females, particularly with respect to chorion deposition, a protective membrane of the oocyte, as well as in the transport process of vitellogenic materials via the hemolymph and pedicel cells. Moreover, the mitochondria were less electron-dense and had cristae that were more disorganized than the mitochondria from CG1 and CG2 individuals. Thus, this study demonstrated the action of esters on the ovaries of R. sanguineus, signaling the prospect of a way to control this ectoparasite without affecting nontarget organisms or the environment. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Water-assisted Flow of Heavy Oil in a Vertical Pipe: Pilot-scale Experiments

The use of the core-annular flow pattern, where a thin fluid surrounds a very viscous one, has been suggested as an attractive artificial-lift method for heavy oils in the current Brazilian ultra-deepwater production scenario. This paper reports the pressure drop measurements and the core-annular flow observed in a 2 7/8-inch and 300 meter deep pilot-scale well conveying a mixture of heavy crude oil (2000 mPa.s and 950 kg/m3 at 35 C) and water at several combinations of the individual flow rates. The two-phase pressure drop data are compared with those of single-phase oil flow to assess the gains due to water injection. Another issue is the handling of the core-annular flow once it has been established. High-frequency pressure-gradient signals were collected and a treatment based on the Gabor transform together with neural networks is proposed as a promising solution for monitoring and control. The preliminary results are encouraging. The pilot-scale tests, including long-term experiments, were conducted in order to investigate the applicability of using water to transport heavy oils in actual wells. It represents an important step towards the full scale application of the proposed artificial-lift technology. The registered improvements in terms of oil production rate and pressure drop reductions are remarkable.

OPTIMUM RATIO OF CALCIUM AND BORON IN THE NUTRIENT SOLUTION OR IN CASTOR BEAN SHOOT FOR FRUIT YIELD AND SEED OIL CONTENT

Calcium (Ca) and boron (B) have been reported as the major macro-and micronutrient required for castor bean plant yield. The objective of this study was to determine the Ca: B ratios (in the growth media and plant tissue) for fruit yield and shoot dry weight of the castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), grown in a nutrient solution, and to evaluate Ca and B supply on concentration and total uptake of Ca, potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and B, as well on the seed oil content. The treatments were arranged in a 3 x 3 factorial fashion, consisting of three rates of Ca (40, 80, and 160 mg L-1) and three of B (0.32, 0.96, and 1.60 mg L-1). Calcium and B rates increased the shoot and root dry weight and fruit yield at a Ca: B ratio in the nutrient solution of 166 and 100, respectively. Symptoms of B deficiency were observed in plants supplied with 0.32 mg B L-1, regardless of the Ca concentration in the nutrient solution. Plants which showed visual symptoms of Ca deficiency cultivated with 40 mg Ca L-1 presented concentration of Ca in plant tissue up to 10 g kg(-1). The concentration and total Ca and B uptake increased with the rates of them. Notwithstanding, the shoot Ca accumulation was improved by B rates. In addition, there were no decreases in K and Mg uptake due to Ca rates. Furthermore, addition of 80 mg L-1 of Ca and 1.60 mg L-1 of B in the growth media increased the seed oil content. The Ca: B ratio in the diagnostic leaf associated with the highest plant dry weight (shoot and root) and fruit yield, was 500 (16 to 20 g kg(-1) of Ca, and for 30 to 40 mg kg(-1) of B).