O sistema de certificação do etanol brasileiro sob a ótica do princípio constitucional do desenvolvimento sustentável

The gradual inclusion of biofuels is a necessary change that countries must include in their energy mixes. Energy sources still widely used in the world, such as oil and coal, are endowed with a high pollution load to the environment, bringing damages to the water, to the air and to humans as well. In addition, although there are conflicting studies, they are also identified as major causes of the greenhouse effect and the global warming phenomenon. They are, moreover, finite sources of energy, given that its reserves will surely run out. However, even if the introduction of biofuels, such as ethanol, in the energy mix is crucial for the survival of the present and future populations, this insertion cannot settle so disorderly and, thus, one must ensure the quality of these resources and promote transparency in international trade. In this manner, a certification process for ethanol is essential to attest that this biofuel meets the sustainable requirements defined for its production. Hence, this study sought to address the importance of the adoption of certification in the ethanol industry, according to the principle of sustainable development, by analyzing the evolution of its concept, its combination with the fundamental objectives sculptured in the Constitution of 1988, its regulation under Brazilian laws and the need for a balance between economic activities and the mentioned principle. The work also encompassed the criteria used to establish certification standards and their participating actors, combined with a study of ongoing initiatives. Finally, the consequences of the adoption of a certification process for ethanol in Brazil were presented, both in terms of sustainable development and in international trade

Os direitos humanos e a jurisdição constitucional brasileira no estado democrático de direito: a legitimidade contramajoritária no contexto do constitucionalismo pluralista

Os Direitos Humanos, compreendidos como o conjunto de direitos indispensáveis à efetivação da dignidade humana, encontram-se, atualmente, no centro das discussões e relações jurídicas internacionais e nacionais. Seu amplo reconhecimento em nível mundial e a universalização de seus preceitos centrais alçaram o Direito Internacional a um nível de evolução e de relacionamento com o Direito Constitucional que se mostram impassíveis de serem ignorados pelas jurisdições nacionais. Encontrando-se tais direitos na base do constitucionalismo moderno, o que os mantém em estreito relacionamento com o pluralismo e a democracia, faz-se imperioso recordar-se que as noções jurídicas que os animam serviram de base histórica e genética ao reconhecimento e à positivação, em nível constitucional, dos assim chamados direitos fundamentais. Em sintonia com a especial deferência que se tem ofertado aos direitos humanos na sociedade contemporânea global, nossa Constituição positivou entre os princípios regentes de suas relações internacionais ordem expressa de prevalente respeito aos tratados internacionais estabelecedores desses direitos, além de ter possibilitado a recepção desses pactos em nosso ordenamento jurídico, inclusive a título de preceitos constitucionais, conforme Emenda Constitucional n. 45/2004. Esse tratamento especial, além do processo democrático que conduziu o Brasil a uma progressiva aceitação dos tratados, pactos e convenções humanitários, torna possível a conclusão de que os Direitos Humanos apresentam elementos de diferencial carga legitimadora, podendo contribuir, significativamente para, a legitimação democrática de nossa Jurisdição Constitucional. Também é possível perceber-se que, ocorrente em esferas de poder e de legitimação diversos, em particular a nível internacional, a importância conferida aos Direitos Humanos não resta esvaziada pela ampla proteção constitucional conferida aos direitos fundamentais. Particularmente questionada em sua perspectiva democrática, mormente ante o cumprimento da nominada regra contramajoritária e em face da crescente ampliação de seu poder político, nossa Jurisdição Constitucional não pode mais permanecer alheia aos condicionantes determinados pelas amplas imbricações que se desenvolveram no estreitamento de relações entre o Direito Constitucional e o Direito Internacional dos Direitos Humanos. Também a crise dogmática ditada pelo distanciamento havido entre o direito posto e a realidade nacional tem implicado em inegável desgaste público da atividade jurisdicional, principalmente da jurisdição voltada à proteção constitucional. O papel da Jurisdição Constitucional atual há, portanto, de ser cumprido em sintonia com as normas internacionais de Direitos Humanos, principalmente em respeito às normas constitucionais pátrias que ordenam a prevalência desses direitos nas relações internacionais. Nesse sentido, pode e necessita nossa Jurisdição Constitucional valer-se do particular potencial legitimador das normas definidoras de Direitos Humanos, reconhecendo e efetivando tais normas e adequando-se às tendências modernas que a elas conferem especial proteção, num processo dialético de inolvidável natureza democrática

Justiça restaurativa no sistema penal e processual penal como forma de concretização do estado democrático constitucional

Diante do atual modelo penal e processual penal não atender aos reclamos das partes interessadas, gerando um descrédito na Justiça de um modo geral, surge a Justiça Restaurativa como uma alternativa para solucionar tais problemas e como elemento de concretização do Estado Democrático Constitucional. A Constituição Federal de 1988 representa o símbolo maior do processo de democratização e de constitucionalização nacional. O Princípio da Dignidade da Pessoa contida no texto constitucional consiste num dos principais fundamentos da República Federativa do Brasil, funcionando como respaldo aos direitos e garantias fundamentais do cidadão, sobretudo na seara criminal. A partir do processo de constitucionalização nacional, ocorre uma releitura das legislações infra-constitucionais, que passam a ser interpretadas de acordo com o texto constitucional. Atualmente, a conjuntura jurídico-penal pátria está associada à ideia de garantismo, ligada ao conceito de Estado Democrático Constitucional. Apresenta-se a Justiça Restaurativa como um novo modelo de Justiça Penal, mais flexível e humanizado, visando além da aplicação da pena imposta pelo Estado, superar uma situação de conflito, na busca por resultados positivos no combate e redução da criminalidade, a satisfação da vítima e a mudança da cultura de violência, compatível com as diretrizes do Estado Democrático Constitucional. A partir da análise do direito internacional e de projetos e legislações nacionais envolvendo a Justiça Restaurativa, percebe-se a eficácia das medidas restaurativas na solução de conflitos dentro do Processo Penal, além da satisfação da vítima, do infrator e de familiares na participação dos encontros restaurativos, constituindo ferramenta de satisfação da dignidade humana, dentro de uma perspectiva humanista e garantista

Os crimes de mídia no paradigma democrático constitucional

The criminal responsibility of the media is analyzed when the criteria for production of news and events involving public safety are produced without considering the technical, legal and ethical practice of journalism in the media factors. Freedom of speech, expression of thought, necessary for professional qualifications and constitutional limits, reaching criminal constitutional principles and the possibilities of criminal liability for offenses practiced in the media are present as key factors legal dialogue in this work. The judgment of the Supreme Court on the unconstitutionality of Law nº. 5.250/67 called Media Law caused a gap in the national legal system, forcing the use of the criminal code to address issues that involve crimes produced in media professional performance. The presumption of innocence is ignored by the professional media during a police investigation where the information published does not respect, including constitutional guarantees: the right to privacy, honor and image. The right to information and the duty to inform media are worked in its constitutional aspect, considering that the same information should be produced is guided by the quality and guiding principles of truth. The constitutional concept of media is presented as information with the appropriate language of the news media, produced and disseminated through the vehicles of mass media, whether in print or digital platform. The presented model of the legal right to information is outlined from a constitutional hermeneutics, increasing the production of news as a result of the occupation of journalist in different news platforms, guaranteeing the quality of this prolific law. Under the Freedom of professional activity of the journalist, the constitutional limits are addressed in line with the reality of (non) regulation of their profession, considering the constitutional abuses committed in the exercise of that activity linked to communication fences. Jusphilosophic field reaches the limits of the duty of truth in journalism as a tool for spreading news, respect the audience and compatibility with the constitutional state. Using the conceptual and doctrinal aspects, this criminal offense is parsed from the journalistic practice and the publication of news involving public safety, with the hypothetical field consummation of that crime through the eventual intention. As a form of judgment against these crimes produced in honor media presents the court of the jury as a legitimate form of democratic decision

O direito fundamental contra a autoincriminação: a análise a partir de uma teoria do Processo Penal Constitucional

The right against self-incrimination is a fundamental right that works in the criminal prosecution, and therefore deserves a study supported by the general theory of criminal procedure. The right has a vague origin, and despite the various historical accounts only arises when there is a criminal procedure structured that aims to limit the State´s duty-power to punish. The only system of criminal procedure experienced that reconciles with seal self-incrimination is the accusatory model. The inquisitorial model is based on the construction of a truth and obtaining the confession at any cost, and is therefore incompatible with the right in study. The consecration of the right arises with the importance that fundamental rights have come to occupy in the Democratic Constitutional States. In the Brazilian experience before 1988 was only possible to recognize that self-incrimination represented a procedural burden for accused persons. Despite thorough debate in the Constituent Assembly, the right remains consecrated in a textual formula that´s closer to the implementation made by the Supreme Court of the United States, known as "Miranda warnings", than the text of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that established originally the right against self-incrimination with a constitutional status. However, the imprecise text does not prevent the consecration of the principle as a fundamental right in Brazilian law. The right against self-incrimination is a right that should be observed in the Criminal Procedure and relates to several of his canons, such as the the presumption of not guilty, the accusatory model, the distribution of the burden of proof, and especially the right of defense. Because it a fundamental right, the prohibition of self-incrimination deserves a proper study to her constitutional nature. For the definition of protected persons is important to build a material concept of accused, which is different of the formal concept over who is denounced on the prosecution. In the objective area of protection, there are two objects of protection of the norm: the instinct of self-preservation of the subject and the ability to self-determination. Configuring essentially a evidence rule in criminal procedure, the analysis of the case should be based on standards set previously to indicate respect for the right. These standard include the right to information of the accused, the right to counsel and respect the voluntary participation. The study of violations cases, concentrated on the element of voluntariness, starting from the definition of what is or is not a coercion violative of self-determination. The right faces new challenges that deserve attention, especially the fight against terrorism and organized crime that force the development of tools, resources and technologies about proves, methods increasingly invasive and hidden, and allow the use of information not only for criminal prosecution, but also for the establishment of an intelligence strategy in the development of national and public security

A missão política do Supremo Tribunal Federal: análise de sua importância como corte constitucional para o controle do poder no Brasil

The following study proposes an analysis of the politic process which the brazilian constitutional justice faces, emphasizing the Supremo Tribunal Federal . For that purpose, we start by examining the intimate relationship between Politics and Law, in view of the most recent social systems theories, so that the political system is distinguished by the exclusiveness of using the physical force, intending to make coletive tying decisions, and the juridical system as a congruent generalization of the expectations towards the rules and principles, brought together under an interdependence by which both gather legitimacy and effectiveness. In this manner we can notice the political effects of the constitutional interpretation conducted by Judges as well as by other juridical professionals, because these ones decrease the overload of expectations which are pointed to the Judicature. Constitutional interpretation is democratized since the participative democracy arises and stablishes a permanent state of awareness around the exercise of power and favours the preservation of the pluralism (counter-majoritary principle) where we can find the origin of the democratic nature of constitutional courts, once, in most cases, their members are not elected by the people. After that, we analyse the historical posture of the Supremo Tribunal Federal as a constitutional court in Brazil, so we can realize the attempts to make it vulnerable to the appeals of governability and economical aims, agains which this court somehow has resisted, stressing its particularities. At the end, it s concluded that even the so-called acts of government, whose judiciary control is mostly repelled, are subjected to a constitutional analysis, last frontier to be explored by the Supremo Tribunal Federal in its role of exposing our republican Constitution

A contribuição de Diké na formação do Emílio ou o papel da jurisdição constitucional na concretização do direito social à educação

The fundamental social right to education has a lengthy constitutional argument, having been declared as a right to everyone in the Title dedicated to the fundamental rights and warrants and, later, scrutinized in the Social Order Chapter exclusively devoted to this theme, where specific rights are guaranteed and fundamental duties are imposed to family, society, and state. In that which concerns education, the 1988 Constitution is the result of a historical-normative process which, since the days of the Lusitanian Empire wavering between distinct levels of protection warrants in some way the educational process. Nevertheless, not even the State s oldest commitment to education has been fully achieved, namely, the annihilation of illiteracy. Even as other fundamental social rights, education is inflicted with the lack of effective political will to reach its fulfillment, and this is reflected in the production of doctrine and jurisprudence which reduce the efficacy of these rights. The objective of this work is to analyze what part is to be played by the constitutional jurisdiction in the reversal of this picture in regards to the fulfillment of the fundamental social right to education. Therefore it is indispensable to present a proper conception of constitutional jurisdiction its objectives, boundaries and procedures and that of the social rights in the Brazilian context so as to establish its relationship from the prism of the right to education. The main existing obstacles to the effective action of constitutional jurisdiction on the ground of social rights are identified and then proposals so as to overcome them are presented. The contemplative and constructive importance of education in the shaping of the individual as well as its instrumental relevance to the achievement of the democratic ideal through the means of the shaping of the citizen is taken into account. The historical context which leads to the current Brazilian educational system is analyzed, tracing the normative area and the essential content of the fundamental right to education aiming to delineate parameters for the adequate development of the constitutional jurisdiction in the field. This jurisdiction must be neither larger nor narrower than that which has been determined by the Constitution itself. Its activity has been in turns based on a demagogic rhetoric of those fundamental rights which present a doubtful applicability, or falling short of that which has been established showing an excessive reverence to the constituent powers. It is necessary to establish dogmatic parameters for a good action of this important tool of constitutional democracy, notably in regards to the fundamental social right to education, for the sake of its instrumental role in the achievement of the democratic ideals of liberty and equality

Liberdade de expressão artística: concepções filosóficas, fundamentalidade constitucional e política da pluralidade

The right to artistic expression, freedom granted in the western democratic constitutionalism, is a fundamental right that cyclically, compared to other cohesive rights of expression, has been forgotten and put in an irrelevant juridical-dogmatic position. The first reason for this behaviour that disesteems artistic freedom is the valorisation of rationalism and scientificism in the modern society, subordinating academic researches to utilitarianism, relegating the purpose of feelings and spirituality on men s elocution, therefore, we investigate, guided by philosophy, the attribution of art on human formation, due to its capacity in harmonising reason and emotion. After that, we affirm the fundamental right to artistic expression s autonomy in the 1988 valid constitutional order, after a comparative explanation of freedom in the Fundamental Laws of United States, Portugal, Spain and Germany; and the construction historic-constitutional of the same right in the Brazilian Constitutions. In this desiderate, the theoric mark chosen is the Liberal Theory of the fundamental rights, guiding the exam through jusfundamental dimensions: juridical-subjective and juridical-objective. Whilst the first, classical function of resistance, delimitates the protection area of the artistic expression right from its specific content, titularity and its constitutional and subconstitutional limits, the other one establishes it as cultural good of the Social Order, defining to the State its rendering duties of protection, formation and cultural promotion. We do not admit artistic communication, granted without legal reserve, to be transposed of restrictions that belong to other fundamental rights and, when its exercise collides with another fundamental right or juridical-constitutional good, the justification to a possible state intervention that tangentiates its protection area goes, necessarily, through the perquisition of the artist s animus, the used method, the many viable interpretations and, at last, the correct application of the proportionality criteria. The cultural public politics analysis, nevertheless, observes the pluralism principle of democratic substratum, developer of the cultural dialogue and opposed to patterns determined by the mass cultural industry. All powers are attached, on the scope of its typical attributions, to materialise public politics that have the cultural artistic good as its aim, due to the constant rule contained in §1, art. 5º of the Federal Constitution. However, the access and the incentive laws to culture must be constantly supervised by the constitutional parameter of fundamental right to equality

Hermenêutica constitucional e fficácia dos Direitos Sociais

The present research has, as general objective, to seek a constitucional hermeneutics directed toward the improvement of the efficacy of the social rights rules, with the purpose to solve the elapsins problems from the general picture of its inefficiency, which are disposed on the Constitution, in its ample majority, as mere regular norms. Leaving of the premise that no Constitutional norm can be without being materialized and the true development of the State is it the social one (based on the principles of freedom, equality and solidarity), it will be demonstrated that the arguments in favor of the legislative inefficiency configure a true blow on the Democratic State of Brazilian Law. For this, it will be done, preliminarily, a study of the basic rights, legal category where it is found the social rights. To follow, it will be analyzed the hermeneutics of the legal norms, with emphasis on the specifics of the constitutional hermeneutics and its methods of interpretation. Finally, the aspect on the improvement of efficacy and the effectiveness of the social rights will be studied, through a new readind of certain dogmas that still persist in the legal world, being distinguished the institutiones of the reserve of the possible and the existential minimum. Ahead of this, after verifying the new paradigmas of the interpretable activity, will be demonstrated how it is possible to get an upgrade on the effectiveness of the social rights

Finanças públicas na nova ordem constitucional brasileira: uma análise comportamental dos municípios potiguares, nos anos antecedentes e posteriores à lei de responsabilidade fiscal LRF

The object of the present dissertation is to analyze the behavior of the public finances of the districts of the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), taking as reference a period fundamentally previous to the implementation of the Fiscal Responsibility Law LRF, comparatively to the first years, immediately after the advent of the mentioned institutional milestone. The central hypothesis of this study proposes that, from the institutions' viewpoint, the LRF sets securely consistent rules, in the orchestration of the behavior of the municipal revenues and expenses. These regulations, on the other hand, might be effective and reach the districts of the RN indiscriminately, apart from stabilizing tendencies and which are sustainable in the long run. In spite of this, the indicators calculated reveal that the districts researched show, during all the period under analysis, a diminished capacity of self-tax collection , and consequently, a high participation of the intergovernmental transfers in the composition of the current revenues. This behavior indicates that the goal of strengthening the municipal public finances, forecast in the LRF, tends to be only partially accomplished, due to the fiscal decentralism. The analysis and interpretation of the data are conducted from the literature of institutionalist orientation and in descriptive statistical tools applied to the municipal strata of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Further on, it's used the econometrical method Pooled OLS, which demands the elimination of the municipal strata in order to allow the use of the model, in the attempt to strengthen and/or ratify the results of the research. Finally, the evidence reached in the dissertation show that the LRF brings better conditions to the potiguar municipal public finances, predominantly to the economically stronger districts; whereas the less dynamic municipal entities show rather divergent evidence, that is, their economies seem to be more oriented to a more pronounced state participation; therefore, it generates in the state of RN a certain antithesis in the results reached in the dissertation

Anisotropias da radiação cósmica de fundo e vínculos em modelos com decaimento do vácuo

Many astronomical observations in the last few years are strongly suggesting that the current Universe is spatially flat and dominated by an exotic form of energy. This unknown energy density accelerates the universe expansion and corresponds to around 70% of its total density being usually called Dark Energy or Quintessence. One of the candidates to dark energy is the so-called cosmological constant (Λ) which is usually interpreted as the vacuum energy density. However, in order to remove the discrepancy between the expected and observed values for the vacuum energy density some current models assume that the vacuum energy is continuously decaying due to its possible coupling with the others matter fields existing in the Cosmos. In this dissertation, starting from concepts and basis of General Relativity Theory, we study the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation with emphasis on the anisotropies or temperature fluctuations which are one of the oldest relic of the observed Universe. The anisotropies are deduced by integrating the Boltzmann equation in order to explain qualitatively the generation and c1assification of the fluctuations. In the following we construct explicitly the angular power spectrum of anisotropies for cosmologies with cosmological constant (ΛCDM) and a decaying vacuum energy density (Λ(t)CDM). Finally, with basis on the quadrupole moment measured by the WMAP experiment, we estimate the decaying rates of the vacuum energy density in matter and in radiation for a smoothly and non-smoothly decaying vacuum

Levantamento cariotípico em espécies de peixes marinhos costeiros de fundo arenoso (Osteichthypes, Perciformes)

Cytogenetics analyses in fish are important because they compose a private group among the vertebrates, occupying a central position in the animal evolution. The Perciforms Order, dominant in the marine and freshwater environment, it constitutes a model potentially useful in the genetic evaluation of populations, as well as in the understanding of its evolutionary processes. In spite of this, cytogenetics studies in this great group is scarce, above all for the inhabitants of sandy bottom and pelagics habits. The present work proposed to contribute for the cytogenetic characterization of nine species of fish marine of sandy bottom of the coast of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), identifying the evolutionary patterns related to the karyotype in these species and the existence of filogenetics affinities between them and other Perciformes. The animals were collected in the beaches of the Redinha, Ponta Negra and Búzios (Coast of Rio Grande do Norte) and in Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago. Later on they were submitted to the cytogenetics technical that consist of mitotic estimulation, obtaining of mitotics chromosomes, proceeded by techniques of conventional coloration (Giemsa) and chromosomic bands (Ag-RONs and C band). Diploid number and fundamental number equal to 48 were observed in most of the species: Menticirrhus americanus, Ophioscion punctatissimus, Pareques acuminatus (Sciaenidae); Chloroscombrus chrysurus (Carangidae); Echeneis sp. 2 (Echeneidae); Archosargus probatocephalus (Sparidae) and Orthopristis ruber (Haemulidae). Trachinotus goodei (NF=52) (Carangidae) and Echeneis sp. 1 (Echeneidae) (NF=54) presented variation in NF, staying constant a diploid number equal to 48. RONs was situated in pericentromeric position in whole the scianids, and in the species Echeneis sp. 2 (22° pair), O. ruber and A. probatocephalus (1° pair), coinciding with great heterocromatics blocks in M. americanus (1° pair), P. acuminatus (2° pairl) and O. ruber (1° pair). RONs was also located in the telomeric area of the short arm of the 5° and 11° acrocentrics pairs in T. goodei, 4° and 19° pairs of C. chrysurus, 1° pair (sm) of Echeneis sp. 1. The C band detected centromeric blocks in most of the chromosomes of the species of Sciaenidae, Carangidae and Echeneidae, with great blocks in A. probatocephalus (4° pair). Heterocromatic blocks in telomeric areas in submetacentrics of Echeneis sp. 1, and pericentromerics in M. americanus (1° and 8° pairs), O. punctatissimus (1° pair) and P. acuminatus (2° pair) were also observed. It is noticed a marked conservatism cromossomic in the species of the family Scianidae and Haemulidae in what says respect to the number of acrocentrics chromosomes and the location of RONs. Even so it is outstanding the presence of heterocromatinization events during the karyotypic evolution of this family. Already in the families Sparidae and Carangidae, the obtained results reaffirm examples of small variations structural resultants of inversion and translocation Robertsonian, as important mechanisms of diversification karyotipical, as well as a pattern numerical evolutionary conserved, also observed in representatives of Echeneidae of Atlantic in relation to Pacific. The presence of RONs multiple, observed in the species T. goodei and C. chrysurus seems to represent a character derived in the family Carangidae. The results for the species O. ruber and A. probatocephalus suggest the presence of possible geographical or climatic barriers among populations of NE of Brazil in relationship the one of the SE

Geoquímica de sedimentos de fundo dos rios Trairí, Ararí e da Laguna Nísia Floresta (RN)

The metal concentrations (Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn ) and phosforus(P) had been determined analyzed through Plasma Inductively Coupled Plasme Mass Spectrometer for fine fraction, < 0,63 mm in 22 samples. The sample preparation for analysis had been make in the laboratories of geology of the UFRN. This samples procedures consists in register, dry, bolt and send to analysis in external laboratory (LAKEFIELD GEOSOL) in Belo Horizonte (MG, Brazil). The studied area involves the rivers Trairi, Ararí and Nísia Floresta lagoon, that empties in the sea, situated in the Rio Grande do Norte State. The study objects (Rivers Trairí, Ararí and Nísia Floresta lagoon) receive influences from urban dumpies, agrotoxics and fertilizer, shrimps tank, pastoral, with this, the concentrations of metals (Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, P, Zn) (except phosforus) in some points of the study area had been above of the value of reference what it leads to classify them as not polluted to moderately polluted, as the calculated Igeo. In front of discussed, can say about the environmental problems found in Trairi, Ararí and Nísia Floresta Lagoon are still in small scale, since when regard the studied área is over human activity effects

Uso de habitat, orçamento temporal e influência da maré da geomorfologia do fundo sobre o comportamento do boto Sotalia guianensis Van Bénéden, 1864 (Cetacea: Delphinidae) no Porto de Maceió - Alagoas, Brasil

The physical and environmental factors presented by each habitat and the rhythm of behavior patterns strongly influence the ecology and behavior of the all living beings. At same time this factors may provide clues about the structure of a population and its ecological balance. The organizational structure, ecology and behavior of a species appraised in a region if we know be in balance when compared to the same type of appraisal made in a degraded area can provide a clear view of how the anthropogenic influences acted on these species and what steps can be taken in order to mitigate the effects and keep the population. The region where this study was conducted is, like most areas of port, subject to intense physical and environmental degradation. With the emerging interest of change in the quality of these environments also by the companies themselves that use the port services, the proposed study aimed to characterize the use of habitat, the distribution of behavioral activities carried out throughout the day and influence of geomorphology of the bed, depth and variation of tide on the expression of the behavior of Sotalia guianensis in the port of Maceio - Alagoas. From this information will be possible establish parameters for comparison with other populations of S. guianensis and establish conservation measures for the population occurring in the port of Maceio - AL, serving also as a basis for conservation actions future performed in other port regions

Análise de sedimento de fundo: uma amostragem representativa do estuário Potengi/RN

The aim of this study is to quantify the presence of major and minor elements in the sediments of estuary Potengi. Four georeferenced sampling points were used in the study, at which sediment samples were collected in the channel of the river and on the right and left banks. In addition, dissolved oxygen, salinity and water conductivity were taken in situ at the time of sample collection. The percentage of organic matter, determined by gravimetry, and granulometric analysis of the sediment samples were conducted in the laboratory. To quantify the major and minor elements a prior test to open the sample was conducted with standard NIST 1646ª estuarine sediment to choose the best methodology to be adopted. The sediment samples were dissolved in microwaves with nitric acid and chloridric acid, according to methodology proposed by US EPA 3051ª. Quantitative analyses of the elements Al, Fe, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were conducted by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICPOES). The results showed that the partial concentrations of the elements analyzed are below average worldwide shale levels, the standard described by Turekian and Wedepohl (1961)