Estudos dos aspectos qualitativos e quantitativos da água e do sedimento no baixo curso do Rio Pitimbu (RN)

Urban growth of metropolitan areas has produced impacts of considerable importance on environment and water resources. Such impacts are in general associated with human activities, such as basin area uncontrolled development. In this context, Pitimbu river watershed, located at Natal metropolitan area, has been affected by uncontrolled development caused by urban expansion. Indeed, such effects have been reflected on water quantity and quality, which may produce social consequences. Pitimbu river is an important water supplier for human consumption, actually supplying a 2600 m3/h water discharge. This study aims to analyze the qualitative and quantitative aspects of water and sediment on Pitimbu river lowland portion. For this purpose, physical-chemical water properties were analyzed, and sediment macro invertebrates benthonic were monitored in two cross sections in a period between November 8th, 2007 and October 3rd, 2008. Monitoring methodology consisted of water and sediment sampling for laboratory analysis. Water quality analysis included Dissolved Oxygen, Oxygen Biochemical Demand, Nitrate, pH and Alkalinity, Suspended and Total Solids. The analysis of heavy metals in the sediment included Cadmium, Cobalt, Copper, Chrome, Silver and Nickel. Dry season water discharge data were measured and used to adjust recession function parameters, whose values reveal quick recession and strong river-aquifer unconfined interaction. Water quality analysis revealed the absence of degradation by organic composites. However, DO and BOD levels indicate that more consistent results could be provided if sampling time interval were reduced. Biomonitoring showed signs of aquatic ecosystem degradation by the absence of sensitive and abundance of resistant benthic organisms. Obtained results demonstrate the urgent need of effective management measures to provide environmental protection. The increase of environmental degradation will certainly make impracticable the use of water for human consumption

Controle sanitário e ambiental de um projeto de reúso em um complexo de prédios corporativos

The study that resulted in this dissertation was developed at OU RNCE PETROBRAS, in Natal, which implemented a project of rational use and reuse of water, including use of wastewater from a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) already in place, diluted with water from own wells for irrigation of green area of the building complex corporate enterprise. Establish a methodology that can serve as guidelines for future projects controlled reuse of water like this was the objective of this research. Been proposed, implemented and evaluated three instruments of sanitary and environmental control: 1) adaptation of sewage treatment plant and quality control of the treated effluent 2) analysis of soil-nutrient interaction in the irrigated area, 3) knowledge of the local hydrogeology, especially with regard to the direction of flow of the aquifer and location of collection wells of Companhia de Águas e Esgotos do Rio Grande do Norte (CAERN) situated in the surroundings. These instruments have proven sufficient and appropriate to ensure the levels of sanitary and environmental control proposed and studied, which were: a) control of water quality off the STP and the output of the irrigation reservoir, b) control of water quality sub surface soil and assessment of progress on soil composition, c) assessment of water quality in the aquifer. For this, we must: 1) establishing the monitoring plan of the STP and its effluent quality sampling points and defining the parameters of analysis, improve the functioning of that identifying the adequacy of flow and screening as the main factors of operational control, and increase the efficiency of the station to a relatively low cost, using additional filters, 2) propose, implement and adapt simple collectors to assess the quality of water percolating into the soil of the irrigated area, 3) determine the direction of groundwater flow in the area study and select the wells for monitoring of the aquifer.

Proposta de zoneamento ambiental visando a proteção dos recursos hídricos de uma bacia hidrográfica

One of the most important natural resources for sustaining human life, water, has been losing the basic requirements of quality and quantity sufficient enough to attend the population due to water contamination'problems, often caused by human beings themselves. Because of this, the sources of this resource are often located in remote places of the natural environment to ensure the quality of the water. However, when urban expansion began to occupy these areas, which were once regarded as distant, environmental pollution problems began to occur due to occupation of the land without planning. Based on this occurrence, this study aims to propose environmental zoning for the Maxaranguape river watershed in order to protect its water resources. This is important because this river can serve as a source of supply for the metropolitan area of Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte. In accordance to this proposition, the model of natural soil loss vulnerability (CREPANI et al., 2001), the model of aquifer pollution vulnerability (FOSTER et al., 2006), and the legal incompatibility map (CREPANI et al., 2001) were used to delimit the zones. All this was done with Geographic Information System (GIS) and also created a geographic database update of the basin. The results of the first model mentioned indicated that 63.67% of the basin was classified as moderately stable / vulnerable, 35.66% as moderately vulnerable, and 0.67% as vulnerable. The areas with high vulnerability degree correspond with sand dunes and river channels areas. The second model indicated that 2.84% of the basin has low vulnerability, 70.27%) has median vulnerability, and 26.76% and 0.13% has high vulnerability and extreme vulnerability, respectively. The areas with the highest vulnerability values also refer to part of the sand dunes and river channels besides other areas such as Pureza urban area. The legal incompatibility map indicated that the basin has 85.02 km2 of Permanent Protection Area (PPA) and 14.62% of this area has some incongruity of use. Based on these results it was possible to draw three main zones: Protection and Sustainable Use Zone (PSUZ), Protection and Environmental Restoration Zone (PERZ) and Environmental Control Zone, which are divided into A, B and C. The PSUZ refer to the coastal areas of the basin, where the sand dunes are located. These sites should be areas of environmental protection and of sustainable urban expansion. The ZPRA refer to river channels, which are in high need of rehabilitation. The third zone corresponds to the rest of the basin which should have, in general, the mapping of possible sources of contamination for further control on the use and occupation of the river

Simulação numérica do fluxo hídrico subterrâneo na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Pitimbu RN

Urban centers in Pitimbu Watershed use significant groundwater sources for public supply. Therefore, studies in Dunas Barreiras aquifer are relevant to expand knowledge about it and help manage water resources in the region. An essential tool for this management is the numerical modeling of groundwater flow. In this work, we developed a groundwater flow model for Pitimbu Watershed, using the Visual Modflow, version 2.7.1., which uses finite difference method for solving the govern equation of the dynamics of groundwater flow. We carried out the numerical simulation of steady-state model for the entire region of the basin. The model was built in the geographical, geomorphological and hydrogeological study of the area, which defined the boundary conditions and the parameters required for the numerical calculation. Owing to unavailability of current data based on monitoring of the aquifer it was not possible to calibrate the model. However, the simulation results showed that the overall water balance approached zero, therefore satisfying the equation for the three-dimensional behavior of the head water in steady state. Variations in aquifer recharge data were made to verify the impact of this contribution on the water balance of the system, especially in the scenario in which recharge due to drains and sinks was removed. According to the results generated by Visual Modflow occurred significantly hydraulic head lowering, ranging from 16,4 to 82 feet of drawdown. With the results obtained, it can be said that modeling is performed as a valid tool for the management of water resources in Pitimbu River Basin, and to support new studies

Uma (re)leitura teleológica da filosofia moral em Kant : por uma necessidade de inclusão do homem na natureza

Made from the bases of metaphysics, this dissertation is related do Kant‟s moral philosophy. But the itinerary to reach the main speculation used to develop this current understanding of Kant‟s thoughts, it is nothing but an attempt to make the formal rigor more flexible, which has always been associated to Kantian ethics‟ perspectives. From the awareness of what this formalism could be, while a moral arrangement, it is how we will be able to come upon a teleological Kant. That is the fundamental element to comprehend some of the significant aspects in that ethical system, which necessarily comes through the effort to demonstrate the proximity between reason and sensibility, as well as nature and liberty. In this environment, the journey to achieve the autonomy, as the bedrock of liberty and morality, evokes the support of education in Kantian patterns, which enables a course of improvement of the human being, as an individual e, more significantly, as specie. This evolution progress, which tents to reveal the destiny of the humanity, is evolved in the relationship between necessity and finality, as a condition to make the structure of a project to humanity possible. We should mention that it is a rational, an educational and a moral project to be developed in the course of history. As a consequence, the amount of all these elements permits the development of the man‟s natural disposition as a creature that looks for self knowledge , becoming, afterward, dignified to be qualified as a human being. Finally, this study intent to figure out the necessity of the human being inclusion to nature, which happens throughout the acquirement of the individuals‟ conscience

Fraturas e caminhos ótimos na rede de Barabasi-Albert

Following the study of Andrade et al. (2009) on regular square lattices, here we investigate the problem of optimal path cracks (OPC) in Complex Networks. In this problem we associate to each site a determined energy. The optimum path is defined as the one among all possible paths that crosses the system which has the minimum cost, namely the sum of the energies along the path. Once the optimum path is determined, at each step, one blocks its site with highest energy, and then a new optimal path is calculated. This procedure is repeated until there is a set of blocked sites forming a macroscopic fracture which connects the opposite sides of the system. The method is applied to a lattice of size L and the density of removed sites is computed. As observed in the work by Andrade et al. (2009), the fractured system studied here also presents different behaviors depending on the level of disorder, namely weak, moderated and strong disorder intensities. In the regime of weak and moderated disorder, while the density of removed sites in the system does not depend of the size L in the case of regular lattices, in the regime of high disorder the density becomes substantially dependent on L. We did the same type of study for Complex Networks. In this case, each new site is connected with m previous ones. As in the previous work, we observe that the density of removed sites presents a similar behavior. Moreover, a new result is obtained, i.e., we analyze the dependency of the disorder with the attachment parameter m

Avaliação da genotoxicidade das águas do lençol freático sob a Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The groundwater represents the most important freshwater supply of planet. Dailly, in all world a great amount of toxic and genotoxic material reaches the aquatic systems, mainly the aquifers. The Barreiras aquifer through of five water wells is responsible for the supplying of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). All water wells are polluted with nitrate and some heavy metals, two of them were disabled. The genotoxicity of groundwater samples from Barreiras Aquifer in UFRN was assessed using the Allium cepa test, the Ames test and the Salmonella typhymurium microsuspension test (Kado test). For the Allium cepa test the influence of the groundwater samples collected on macroscopic (root length, colour and form) and microscopic (root tip mitotic index, chromosome aberrations and micronucleus) parameters was examined. All water samples caused a significant increase of the chromosome and mitotic aberration frequency and reduction on the rooth growth compared to negative control. Bridges and chromosome stickness were the most frequent kind of aberration in dividing cells. Furthermore, breaks were also observed. No significant increase in the number of micronuclei was found in relation to the negative controls. For Ames test were used the Salmonella typhymurium strains TA98 and TA100 without metabolic activation, applying the direct method. Prior to the Kado test, organic fractions from the water samples were obtained through XAD resin concentration. The mutagenicity organic extracts were evaluated by Kado test using TA98 and TA100 strains, in the absence and presence of S9 mix (metabolic activation). The concentrations of seven heavy metal ions were measured in water samples, but only Ni, Cu and Cr levels exceeded the permissible maximum concentration for the natural reservoirs. The results obtained for mutagenic activity using the Ames test were negative in all raw water samples analyzed. Positive results in XAD4 extracts of water samples were obtained for TA98 in the presence of S9 mix for two stations. Concentrations of heavy metals and nitrate can be correlated with the toxicity and genotoxicity of water analyzed. The mutagenic effect detected with TA98 strain suggested that organic compounds (after metabolization) are involved with the mutagenicity detected in the samples analyzed. The data set obtained in this work indicated the presence of at least two classes of mutagens: organic and inorganic compounds

Análise dos fatores responsáveis pela alta salinidade do aqüífero fissural da microbacia da Riacho do Feijão - Pedro Avelino/RN

The fissures aquifer northeast semi-arid Brazilian, present high text frequently of leave, with of low a hídric availability. The research has as objective main to analyze the components that inside influence in the salinity of the waterbearing fissures of an evaluation physicist-chemistry of the water, leading in consideration the physical interventions of the environment. One used techniques of interpretation of image of Landsat satellite -1999 and delimitation of the micro basin through the topographical map SUDENE. One identified waters of the NaCl type with Ca++ and Mg++ in secondary concentrations. The analyzed wells (15), had presented an average salinity of 5.147 mg/L of STD and a well only supplies drinking waters with 319 mg/L of STD. The recharge of the aquifer one if carries through for infiltration in the open fracture of ortognaisse it migmatization. The type and directions of the fracture do not control the STD. Relations between salinity and out let do not exist. The quality of the well of low salinity is identical the superficial waters (aquifer dam and alluvial). The studies of the meteoric erosion processes had evidenced that in the transformations of the rock in ground, the Ca++ and Na+ are taken for superficial waters. The treatment of the data chemical showed that the grade of Na+, Ca++, Mg++ and Cl-are controlled for the evaporation process, from only water that would have the qualities of superficial waters or the well of low salinity. Already the HCO3-grade is controlled for the precipitation of the dolomite. The STD of this aquifer one would be consequence of the high tax of evaporation of dams constructed in regions of plain topography. You leave them precipitated in deep argillaceous ones dry dams are led for the aquifer in first rains. The research suggests some recommendations for the use and exploitation of the water salinity in piscicultura, carcinicultura, culture of the grass-salt (Atriplex sp), among others

Palavras da maldição: O Ceará de José Alcides Pinto entre símbolos e alegorias.

This work treats about the speeches that produced the crisis of symbols of Ceará, researching on matters and ways of expression of space between 1950s and 1970s. Therefore, we search discursive practices that since the end of nineteenth century built the identity of Ceará and in the middle of twentieth century produced the crisis of modes of seeing and telling the space in front of enunciations of the national modernization, especially with the emergence of politics by SUDENE to the Northeast, the progressive actions by Catholic Church, the defense of tradition by regional literature of union of Ceará Clã. The contradictions between the glorification and fear the modernization of Brazil produced on the space speeches that his identity would be fractured, that the old symbols of drought, cangaço, mysticism and colonels declined. Among analyzed speeches, we centered the analysis of Trilogia da Maldição formed of novels O Dragão, of 1964, Os Verdes Abutres da Colina and João Pinto de Maria: a biografia de um louco by José Alcides Pinto. In this novel, the enunciation of the crisis of symbologies about the space produced another aesthetic, the allegory, which, mixed with the mystical and melancholy, in search of ways to restore the language of the old themes Ceará, drop of Ceará the same stigma of anti-modern space, where the images of delay changed icons of a fractured identity in front of the modern streams, where the word was transformed in the dimension precarious and redeemer of the tradition, of old, of nature, of the plenitude of senses. In Jose Alcides, the colonel returns as the origin of the lost space, the drought is the revolt of God against the devil place, the apocalypse, the end imminent threat to the village, signs that fantastic, however, are in dialogue with the settings space and time in which they were produced

Avaliacão da satisfação do usuário e da qualidade dos tratamentos endodônticos em Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas da Grande Natal-RN

Objective: To evaluate the degree of users satisfaction and technical quality of endodontic treatment in specialized dental clinics (CEO) of Grande Natal / RN between 2006 and 2008. Methodology: evaluated 282 endodontically treated teeth in CEOs through clinical and radiographic examinations. A questionnaire about the clinical condition of the tooth, evaluation of care and satisfaction with treatment was applied. Data on pre-and trans-operative were noted by the patient's clinical record. Endodontically treated teeth were examined by a specialist in endodontics, which compared with previous radiographs and current ones. The collected datas were presented descriptively by absolute numbers, percentages, averages. To determine the association between the independent and dependent variables was carried out through the bivariate association test Chi-square and Fisher exact test. Results: 79.8% presented with radiographic normal and 84.4% without pain symptoms. 8.2% of the teeth were fractured and 3.2% extracted. The persistence of the periapical lesion was associated with initial periapical status (p <0.05). 91.5% of patients are satisfied with the outcome of treatment. Such satisfaction is associated with absence of pain and an adequate esthetic tooth position (p <0.05). Conclusion: endodontic treatment in specialized dental clinics have an adequate technical quality, resulting in the success of endodontic therapy performed in these centers and that users are satisfied with the treatment

Interpretation of Resistivity Piezocone Tests in a Contaminated Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Site

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

Comparison of fracture surface and plane section analysis for ceramic grain size characterisation

A method has been developed to obtain quantitative information about grain size and shape from fractured surfaces of ceramic materials. One elaborated a routine to split intergranular and transgranular grains facets of ceramic fracture surfaces by digital image processing. A commercial ceramic (ALCOA A-16, Al2O3-1.5% of CrO) was used to test the proposed method. Microstructural measurements of grain shape and size taken from fracture surfaces have been compared through descriptive statistics of distributions, with the corresponding measurements from polished and etched surfaces. The agreement between results, with the expected bias on grain size values from fractures, obtained for both types of surfaces allowed to infer that this new technique can be used to extract the relevant microstructural information from fractured surfaces, thus minimising the time consuming steps of sample preparation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of electroplated zinc-nickel alloy coatings on the fatigue strength of AISI 4340 high-strength steel

Recovered substrates have been extensively used in the aerospace field. Cadmium electroplating has been widely applied to promote protective coatings in aeronautical components, resulting in excellent corrosion protection combined with a good performance in cyclic loading. Ecological considerations allied to the increasing demands for corrosion resistance have resulted in the search for possible alternatives. Zinc-nickel (Zn-Ni) alloys have received considerable interest recently, because these coatings show advantages such as a good resistance to white and red rust, high plating rates, and acceptance in the market. In this study, the effect of electroplated Zn-Ni coatings on AISI 4340 high-strength steel was analyzed for rotating bending fatigue strength, corrosion, and adhesion resistance. The compressive residual stress field was measured by x-ray diffraction prior to fatigue tests. Optical microscopy documented coating thickness, adhesion characteristics, and coverage extent for nearly all substrates. Fractured fatigue specimens were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Three different Zn-Ni coating thicknesses were tested, and comparisons with the rotating bending fatigue data from electroplated Cd specimens were performed. Experimental results differentiated the effects of the various coatings on the AISI 4340 steel behaviour when submitted to fatigue testing and the influence of coating thickness on the fatigue strength.

MRT letter: Extended depth from focus reconstruction method for stretch zone measurement in 15-5PH steel

The stretch zone width (SZW) data for 15-5PH steel CTOD specimens fractured at -150 degrees C to + 23 degrees C temperature were measured based on focused images and 3D maps obtained by extended depth-of-field reconstruction from light microscopy (LM) image stacks. This LM-based method, with a larger lateral resolution, seems to be as effective for quantitative analysis of SZW as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM), permitting to clearly identify stretch zone boundaries. Despite the worst sharpness of focused images, a robust linear correlation was established to fracture toughness (KC) and SZW data for the 15-5PH steel tested specimens, measured at their center region. The method is an alternative to evaluate the boundaries of stretched zones, at a lower cost of implementation and training, since topographic data from elevation maps can be associated with reconstructed image, which summarizes the original contrast and brightness information. Finally, the extended depth-of-field method is presented here as a valuable tool for failure analysis, as a cheaper alternative to investigate rough surfaces or fracture, compared to scanning electron or confocal light microscopes. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:11551158, 2012. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of WC-10Ni thermal spraying coating by HVOF on the fatigue and corrosion AISI 4340 steel

Shot peening is a surface process widely used to improve the fatigue strength of materials, through compressive residual stresses induced in their surface layers. Considering mechanical components for high responsible applications, wear and corrosion control is currently accomplished by the use of coated materials.In the case of chrome plating or hard anodizing, lower fatigue strength in comparison to uncoated parts are associated to high residual tensile stresses and microcracks density. Under constant or variable amplitude loading microcracks will propagate and cross the interface coating substrate without impediment.The aim of the present study is to analyze the influence of WC-10Ni coating applied by HVOF process on the axial fatigue strength of AISI 4340 steel. The shot peening effect on the fatigue performance of coated AISI 4340 steel was also evaluated. The fractured fatigue specimens were investigated using a scanning electron microscope in order to obtain information about the crack initiation points. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.