Mutagênese induzida por flavonóides presentes do decocto das cascas da aroeira (Schinus terebinthifolius, Raddi)

The decoction of Brazilian pepper tree barks (Schinus terebinthifolius, Raddi), is used in medicine as wound healing and antiinflamatory. Once extracts from this plant are used for acceleration of scar s process, it is important to study their mutagenic and genotoxic potential. In previous works in our laboratory, it was observed mutagenicity caused by the decoction when in high concentrations. Among the chemical compounds of this plant that could be able to induce mutation, the flavonoids were the only group that was referred to have either an oxidant or antioxidant potential. The flavonoids were isolated, purified and quantified by adsorptive column chromatography under silica gel, bacterial and in vitro genotoxic tests were realized to determine if the flavonoids were the responsible agents for this mutagenicity found. The tests realized with plasmidial DNA were indicative that the flavonoids are probably genotoxic, due to the presence of correlation between increase of the flavonoid concentration and in plasmidial DNA double strand breakage visualized in agarose gel, as well as they were capable to generated abasic sites shown by the in vitro treatment with exonuclease III. The same tests with plasmidial DNA in the presence of copper [10 µM] and of a Tris-HCl pH 7.5 [10 µM] buffer were realized with the isolated flavonoids to determine if there would be or not participation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The transformation of plasmidial DNA in different bacterial strains proficient and deficient in DNA repair enzymes in the presence or not of a Tris-HCl buffer, suggests that the enzymes that repair oxidative lesions are necessary to repair the lesions generated by the flavonoids and that ROS are generated and are necessary to promote the lesions. Bacterial tests with Escherichia coli strains of the CC collection (deficient or not for DNA repair enzymes), showed that the flavonoids are able to increase the frequency of mutations, mainly in strains mutated in repair enzymes (MutM, MutY-glicosylases and double mutant), suggesting that these agents are responsible for the enhancement in the mutation rate. In order to determine the mutation spectrum caused by the flavonoids of the Brazilian pepper tree stem bark, plasmidial DNA previously treated with the flavonoids were transformed in bacterial strains deficient and proficient in the DNA repair enzymes, followed by a blue-white selection with X-gal, DNA amplification by PCR and sequencing the positive mutant clones. Analysis of the mutants obtained from strains CC104, CC104mutM, CC104mutY, CC104mutMmutY, BW9101, BW9109 indicated a predominance of some mutations like G:C to C:G that can be correlated with the origin of 8-oxoG, due to oxidative lesions caused by the flavonoids. So it can concluded that the flavonoid isolated or in fractions enriched on them are genotoxic and mutagenic, and their mutations are predominantly oxidative, mediated by ROS, and the lesions are recognized by the BER system. In this way it is proposed that the flavonoids can act in two different ways to generate the DNA lesion: 1. in a Fenton-like reaction, when the flavonoid are in the presence of metal ions and that together with the water generate ROS that promotes the DNA lesions; 2. in another way the lesions can be generated by the formation of ROS due to the internal chemical structure of the flavonoid molecule due to the quantity and location of hydroxyl groups, and so producing the DNA lesions, those lesions can be directly (suggested by the in vitro experiments) or indirectly done (supported by the experiments using the CC bacterial strains)

Mapeamento de áreas de risco à saúde pública por meio de métodos geoestatísticos

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

Avaliação da genotoxicidade e da qualidade das águas do açude de Lucrécia/RN

The occurrence of human cancer in the municipality of Lucrécia (RN, Brazil) has shown high frequencies (INCA, 2007). Tests of micronucleus (MN) and nuclear abnormalities (NA) were performed to assess the genotoxic potential of water from the Lucrécia dam, which is located in a semi-arid region under the influence of crop irrigation and irregular rainfall. Water samples were collected in this source for analyzing the concentration of cyanobacteria, metals and radioactivity. Erythrocytes of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were collected in dam and cells of human oral mucosa in the urban area of this municipality for the bioassays of MN and NA. In fish were also analyzed concentrations of metals in samples of liver and gills. The genotoxicity tests with biological samples of fish and humans have shown significant increases in the frequencies of MN and NA (p ≤ 0.05) and are indicative of increased DNA damage in relation to the control groups. In conclusion, the results obtained from water samples and biological municipality of Lucrécia indicates that the presence of chemical and microbiological pollutants, and increase of genotoxic in human of this municipality. We suggest the implementation of advanced water treatment, to prevent further degradation of the aquatic environment and decrease in the life quality. This research of environmental quality assessment was performed in order to contemplate a multi and interdisciplinary character of this water resource and that can induce genotoxic damage in the organisms in this study region

Ecotoxicological assessment of sediments from the Santos and São Vicente estuarine system- Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Crescimento inicial e morfologia foliar em plantas de Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong. E Erythrina velutina Mart. ex Benth, sob estresse hídrico

The Caatinga is the predominant vegetation type in semi-arid region of Brazil, where many inhabitants depend on hunting and gathering for survival, obtaining resources for: food and feed, folk medicine, timber production, etc. It‟s the dry ecosystem with highest population density in the world. The early stages of development are the most critical during the life cycle of a flowering plant and they‟re primordial to its establishment in environments exposed to water stress. Information about adjustments to the growth of the species, correlated with their studies of distribution in Seridó oriental potiguar, are an important ecological and economic standpoint, because they provide subsidies for the development of cultivation techniques, to programs of sustainable use and recovery of degraded areas. This thesis aimed to study the initial growth and foliar morphology in plants like Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong. (tamboril) and Erythrina velutina Mart. ex Benth (mulungu), species of occurrence in the Caatinga, under water stress. After sowing and emergency, the seedlings were exposed to three water regimes: 450 (control), 225 (moderate stress) and 112.5 (severe stress) mm of water slide for 40 days. Seeding occurred in bags of 5 kg and after the establishment of seedlings thinning was carried out leaving a plantlet per bag. At the beginning the waterings occurred daily with distilled water, passing to be on alternate days after thinning. Twenty and forty days after the thinning seedlings collections were held to be done analysis of growth and biomass partition. When compared to the control group, the treatments with water stress showed reduction in the growth of the aerial part, growth of the greater root, number of leaves and leaflets, dry leaf area and total phytomass in both species, but in general, this effect was most marked for E. velutina. Regarding the partition of biomass, there were few changes throughout the experiment. Morphological changes in the leaves as a function of stress were not significant, however, there was a trend, in both species, to produce narrower leaves, that facilitate heat loss to the environment. It has not been possible to establish a positive relationship between inhibition of growth and distribution of species, whereas E. velutina is a species of most common occurrence in Seridó oriental potiguar. In this way, other aspects should be taken into account when studying the adaptation of species the dry environments, such as salinity, presence of heavy metals, wind speed, etc

Alteração da qualidade do solo em zona ripária sob diferentes usos: potencial de poluição para um manancial tropical

The demographic growth press environments that are more susceptible to perturbations, like riparian areas, without knowing about the effects of replacing these natural environments by different land uses on soil quality and, consequently, on watershed. The study of soil quality has evolved as an important tool for soil sustainable management of this component of the biosphere that affects aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems functions. Thus, physical and chemical soil proprieties were measured to assess soil quality under different land uses (agricultural, pasture, urban, industrial and natural vegetation,) in the riparian zone of Extremoz Lake, an important human water source, evaluating whether the soil offers potential risk to water pollution. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results showed negative changes in soil quality such as alkalinization and increase in P, Pb, Mn and Zn contents in most anthropized areas. The sandy texture and low organic matter content in all soils showed the fragility of the soil to erosion and leaching of elements in excess to water bodies, evidencing that this soils has potential to diffuse contaminants. Conservative management of soil is necessary to provide an adequate ecological state in riparian zones of the Extremoz Lake, thus allowing controlling and buffering diffuse sources of pollution to this important water supply source

Remoção de matéria orgânica, de nutrientes e de coliformes no processo anaeróbio em dois estágios (reator compartimentado seguido de reator UASB) para o tratamento de águas residuárias de suinocultura

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

Transition metal rates in latosol twice treated with sewage sludge

A reciclagem agrícola do lodo de esgoto tem provocado o acúmulo de metais pesados no solo e na água, podendo atingir níveis tóxicos e causar danos às plantas cultivadas, aos animais e ao homem, por meio da cadeia trófica. Neste intuito foi desenvolvido o presente experimento, em condições de campo, entre 2000 e 2002, onde foram avaliados os efeitos da aplicação de lodo de esgoto por dois anos, sobre a extração de metais de transição (essenciais e não) pelo extrator DTPA em um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (LVd) de textura média. As concentrações dos elementos metálicos: Mn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Co, Pb e Cr não foram detectados pelo método da absorção atômica na solução obtida com o extrator DTPA. A aplicação de lodo de esgoto causou inicialmente pequena elevação no pH do solo, posteriormente a diminuição do mesmo, e manteve-se próximo ao original. Foi possível concluir que, com a aplicação consecutiva do lodo, os teores extraíveis de Fe e Mn nas amostras de solos aumentaram gradativamente nos dois anos agrícolas, com as doses do lodo de esgoto aplicado, época de amostragens, e foram superiores ao tratamento testemunha. O extrator apresentou capacidade restrita para avaliação da fitodisponibilidade dos metais pesados decorrentes das baixas concentrações nas amostras de solo.

Poder poluente de águas residuárias de suinocultura após utilização de um tratamento integrado

Em experimento de campo, avaliou-se o potencial de impacto ambiental de águas residuárias de suinocultura, acondicionadas em um tanque de estocagem, com distintos tempos de retenção hidráulica e aplicadas, posteriormente, em lisímetros preenchidos com solos arenosos, argilosos e de texturas médias. Para tal, foram determinados os valores de pH nos solos e as quantificações das concentrações de zinco e cobre na água residuária in natura e, após os quatro tempos de retenção hidráulica do tanque de estocagem, nos percolados dos lisímetros e nos solos. Os resultados mostram que a estocagem não foi eficiente na redução, aos níveis exigidos pela legislação, das concentrações de zinco e cobre nos efluentes do tanque de estocagem. A aplicação no solo gerou reduções eficientes nas concentrações de zinco e cobre. Por fim, enfocando a contribuição fertilizante destas águas residuárias, o solo argiloso foi o mais beneficiado com este sistema integrado de tratamento, contribuindo para a redução das concentrações de zinco e cobre para valores abaixo dos permitidos pelas legislações, o que protegeria o lençol freático da contaminação por esses dois metais pesados.

Bário, cádmio, cromo e chumbo em plantas de milho e em latossolo após onze aplicações anuais de lodo de esgoto

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

Cádmio, cromo, chumbo e zinco em plantas de milho e em latossolo após nove aplicações anuais de lodo de esgoto

As maiores limitações para o uso do lodo de esgoto em áreas agrícolas são os riscos de contaminação do solo com metais pesados e sua possível transferência para a cadeia alimentar. Objetivou-se, com este estudo, avaliar os teores de Cd, Cr, Pb e Zn no solo, utilizando-se dois métodos de extração (HNO3 + H2O2 + HCl e HClO4 + HF), o acúmulo destes elementos em plantas de milho cultivadas em Latossolo Vermelho eutroférrico no nono ano de aplicação de lodo de esgoto, bem como seus efeitos na produção de matéria seca e na produtividade de grãos. O experimento foi instalado em condições de campo em Jaboticabal-SP, no delineamento em blocos casualizados, com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições. Os tratamentos corresponderam a doses acumuladas por nove anos consecutivos de lodo de esgoto (45,0; 90,0 e 127,5 t ha-1, base seca) e um tratamento testemunha que recebeu fertilização mineral com base na análise de solo. O lodo de esgoto foi aplicado manualmente e incorporado ao solo com grade a 0,1 m de profundidade antes da semeadura do milho. Os teores médios de Cd no solo não variaram em função das doses de lodo e dos métodos de extração. Por outro lado, os teores médios de Cr, Pb e Zn no solo obtidos pela digestão com HClO4 + HF foram de 72,4; 31,8 e 62,3 %, respectivamente, superiores àqueles encontrados pela digestão que empregou HNO3 + H2O2 + HCl. Contudo, quando se avaliou apenas o efeito das doses de lodo no solo, em ambos os métodos de extração, verificou-se diferença entre os tratamentos apenas para a concentração de Zn no solo. Exceto o Cd, que não foi detectado, de modo geral, os teores e os acúmulos de Cr, Pb e Zn nas partes das plantas de milho aumentaram com as aplicações de lodo de esgoto. Os teores de Cr, Pb e Zn nos grãos, quando detectados, permaneceram abaixo dos limites máximos estabelecidos para o consumo humano conforme a legislação brasileira. A adição de lodo de esgoto e a fertilização mineral, por longo período, apresentaram efeitos semelhantes na produção de matéria seca e na produtividade de grãos de milho.

Níveis do subproduto concentrado da produção de lisina em dietas com alto concentrado para tourinhos Santa Gertrudes em terminação

O experimento foi realizado objetivando-se caracterizar o subproduto concentrado da produção de lisina (SPL) e avaliar o desempenho e as características de carcaça de tourinhos Santa Gertrudes confinados recebendo níveis crescentes desse subproduto na dieta. O SPL resulta do processo de produção de lisina e é parcialmente seco. Apresentou aproximadamente 38% de matéria seca e 85% de proteína bruta na matéria seca, sendo que 79% desse nitrogênio encontrava-se na forma não-protéica. Não foram observados metais pesados em níveis tóxicos. Vinte e sete animais, com dez meses de idade e peso inicial de 242 kg, receberam silagem de milho, 80% de concentrado e 0; 4,5 ou 9,0% de SPL na matéria seca da dieta. O período experimental foi de 115 dias, após 56 dias de adaptação. A inclusão do SPL na dieta determinou efeito quadrático sobre o ganho de peso, o consumo diário de matéria seca, o peso final e o peso de carcaça; efeito linear decrescente sobre a eficiência alimentar e o rendimento de carcaça; e aumento da espessura de gordura de cobertura e do peso do fígado. Não foram observadas diferenças entre tratamentos para a área de olho de lombo. As diferenças no desempenho não foram associadas ao menor consumo de alimentos ou ao teor de enxofre das dietas. O nível de 3,7% de SPL na matéria seca da dieta foi considerado o máximo recomendado para tourinhos em terminação recebendo dietas com alto teor de energia, quando o ganho diário de peso esperado seria de 1,23 kg/animal.

Caracterização do efluente líquido no processo de beneficiamento do índigo têxtil

The great diversity of the textile industries activities causes the formation of wastewaters with high complex characteristics during the productive process, according to the industrial process used. The principal aim of the present work is the characterization of the wastewater from the textile industry that process the indigo, located in the Industrial District of Natal-RN, to know the contaminante load of each stage of the process and the framing of the wastewater with the standards of act of receiving of the System of Treatment of Wastewater of the Industrial District of Natal-RN SITEL-DIN, operated for the Company of Waters and Sewers of the RN CAERN. It was analyzed the following properties and pollutants agents: temperature; pH; alcalinity; color; COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand); total and suspended solids; heavy metals, thermotolerants coliformes, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity. As conclusion it is distinguished that the wastewater did not get resulted satisfactory, according to comparisons with other sources, in only three parameters: turbidity, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity, however none of these parameters is criteria of acts of receiving of the SITEL-DIN,therefore the wastewater if finds inside of normality. After the analysis of the obtained results it was verified that SITEL-DIN is indispensable for completing the wastewater treatment

Efeito da introdução de resíduo de cinza de forno cerâmico em massa para cerâmica estrutural

The red ceramics and structural ceramics, as they are known, include ceramic materials made by blocks of seals and structures, bricks, tiles, smail flagstones manacles, rustic floors and ornamental materials. Their fabrication uses raw material such as clay and clay sites, with some content of impurity. It has good durability and mechanical strength to compression, low cost, making it one of the mainly used materials in civil engineering. The incorporation of many industrial activities residue to ceramic products is a technological alternative for reducing the environmental impact caused by its carefree disposal. This incorporation can promote chemical change and inertness of metals from residue, by fixation in the glassy phase of ceramic during the burning stage. The main aim of this project is to study the technical feasibility of the addition of ceramic oven ash into formulations of mass for structural ceramics. In this project two kinds of clay (plastic and non-plastic) were used, as well as the ash from firewood used in the process of burning of structural ceramics. A group of experiments was outlined, which permitted the evaluation of the influence of the burning cycle in different temperatures of the ash content in formulations for ceramic blocks through technological properties, mechanical behavior and microstructure. Five samples were processed of each one of the masses of plastic and non-plastic clay without addition of ash and with addition of ash on the percentages of 10 % and 20 %, for temperatures of 850 °C, 950 °C, 1050 °C and 1150 °C, obtained through sinterization process. Among the studied compositions, the one which presented best performance was the mass of clay with 10 % of ash, at temperature of 1150 °C, with the smallest absorption of water, the smallest apparent porosity, specific apparent mass a bit over the others and greatest mechanical resistance to flexion. The composition made confirmed the technical feasibility of the use of ash in the mass for structural ceramics with maintenance of its necessary characteristics for its purposes

Desenvolvimento de um sistema para análise de integridade estrutural de equipamentos estáticos baseado em cad vps micro cracks e ultrassom

In general, the designs of equipment takes into account the effects and processes of deterioration it will undergo and arrives at an approximate useful life. However, changes in operational processes and parameters, the action of external agents, the kind of maintenance conducted, the means of monitoring, and natural and accidental occurrences completely modify the desired performance of the equipment. The discontinuities that occur in anisotropic materials often and due to different factors evolve from being subcritical to critical acquiring the status of defect and compromising the physical integrity of the equipment. Increasingly sophisticated technological means of detection, monitoring and assessment of these discontinuities are required to respond ever more rapidly to the requirements of industry. This paper therefore presents a VPS (Virtual Pipe System) computational tool which uses the results of ultrasonic tests on equipment, plotting the discontinuities found in models created in the CAD and CAE systems, and then simulates the behavior of these defects in the structure to give an instantaneous view of the final behavior. This paper also presents an alternative method of conventional ultrasonic testing which correlates the integrity of an overlay (carbon steel and stainless steel attached by welding) and the reflection of ultrasonic waves coming from the interface between the two metals, thus making it possible to identify cracks in the casing and a shift of the overlay