Cultivo de Ankistrodesmus gracilis (Reisch) Korsikov (Chlorophyta) em laboratório utilizando meio CHU12 e de macrófita com NPK

Two different culture media, namely CHU12 and inorganic fertilizer NPK (20-5-20) associated with macrophyte (Eichhornia crassipes) extract, were used to evaluate the development of A. gracilis. Growth rate, development, nutritional value and medium water quality were analyzed. A. gracilis in macrophyte+NPK medium had mean cell density (333x10(5) cells/mL) higher than medium CHU12 (302x10(5) cells/mL). Protein rate (12.52% PS), dry weight (397x10(7) pg/cell) and ashes (4.08x10(7) pg/cell) in A. gracilis was higher (p<0.05) than medium macrophyte+NPK. on the other hand, lipids, carbohydrates and fibers had the same rate (p>0.05) in both media. When hydrological variables in the culture medium of A. gracilis are taken into account, dissolved oxygen and free CO2 alone failed to have any significant difference (p>0.05) between the media employed. A. gracilis in the macrophyte+NPK medium had the same nutritional rate as the commercial medium CHU12, with excellent results for alga growth. Macrophyte medium may be used for large scale alga culture in the feed of fish larvae.

Eutrofização e qualidade da água na piscicultura: consequências e recomendações

The eutrophication (cultural or anthropogenic) is induced by man and can have different origins, such as domestic sewage, industrial and agricultural activities, including the effluent still breeding systems of aquatic organisms. The expansion of aquaculture, with production of biomass and increase of nutrients in water may cause acceleration of productivity of algae, changing the ecology of aquatic systems. In addition, these waste water may present a risk to health through the transfer of pathogens from manure, plant residues, composted material, among others that are major sources of organic waste in some farming systems. Depending on the trophic level of fish ponds, which are dynamic environments, different planktonic species with short reproductive cycle and adapted to the changes contained in these systems can appear in high abundance. Water quality in the systems for raising fish is related to several factors, such as water source, management (liming, fertilizing, cleaning), cultivated species and quantity and composition of exogenous food. In order to minimize environmental impacts, there are techniques to improve the quality of water in fish farming systems and thus satisfactory answers can be obtained through the application of management practices. This paper aims to review the subject that deals with changes in water quality resulting from the activity of freshwater fish culture in Brazil. Search also recommend techniques of good management practices to minimize the impact generated by the activity.

Efeito de extratos da alga marinha caulerpa mexicana em modelos de inflamação em murinos

The regulation of the inflammatory response is essential to maintain homeostasis. Several studies have been performed to search new drugs that can contribute to avoiding or minimizing an excessive inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extracts of green algae Caulerpa mexican in models of inflammation. In mice, the model of peritonitis induced inflammatory zymosan pretreatment of mice with aqueous and methanol extracts of C. mexican was able to reduce cell migration to the peritoneal cavity. Treatment of mice with extracts of C. mexican also reduced the ear edema induced by xylene and exerted inhibitory action on the migration of leukocytes in inflammation-induced zymosan the air pouch, and timedependent for the extracts tested in the model of ulcerative colitis induced by DSS 3%, the extract methanol, but not the aqueous C. mexican, significantly reduced the clinical symptoms of colitis, as well as the production of proinflammatory cytokines in the culture of mouse colon, in the histological analysis there was a slight reduction of inflammation in the intestinal mucosa. We concluded that the administration of the extracts resulted in the reduction of cell migration to different sites as well as reducing the edema formation induced by chemical irritant. This study demonstrates for the first time the antiinflammatory effect of aqueous and methanolic extracts from green marine algae Caulerpa mexican

Avaliação da atividade turística sobre a composição e a distribuição das macroalgas marinhas nos recifes de Pirangi (Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil)

The reef area of Pirangi beach has been experiencing antropogenic actions, mainly due to tourism activity. In order to evaluate these effects, surveys on seaweeds were conducted at nine stations located over the fringing reef. Benthic community (seaweeds/corals) were identified using the photoquadrat method, with 50 meters random transects located paralleled to the coast. The general categories evaluated in each transect were: rock, sand, seaweeds, corals and mollusks. Data achieved were processed at Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions software. A total of 30 seaweed species, 5 coral species and 1 mollusk species were identified. There was a high dominance of short algae at stations with high tourism pressure, whereas frondose algae usually occurred at places without human interference. Seaweeds with the highest percent cover were composed by Sargassum vulgare (59%), Caulerpa racemosa (47%) and Dictyopteris delicatula (33%). Cluster analyses considering benthic organisms revealed five benthic features: (1) submersed area characterized by a diversified marine flora; (2) area with dominance of Caulerpa racemosa and presence of Millepora alcicornis; (3) area with high cover of Sargassum vulgare; (4) trampling area characterized by bare rocks, short algae and Zoanthus sociatus and (5) area with high coverage of Palythoa caribaeroum. Obtained data suggest that the studied area has been damaged by tourism activities. Furthermore, observed differences in algal communities may be a good indicator of ecosystem health of Pirangi reefs

Caracterização do nicho alimentar do polvo octopus insularis (cephalopoda: octopodidae): da população ao indivíduo

Octopus insularis, target species in this study, is the dominant benthic octopus of the North and Northeast Brazil. Studies on behavior and ecology of the species have been conducted primarily on oceanic islands, with little information on the continental populations. In this study, two regions of the coast of RN, Rio do Fogo and Pirangi, were chosen for the characterization of the niche by O. insularis populations. The dietary niche, habitat and distribution of O. insularis of oceanic islands and the mainland, were compared. In addition, individual characteristics of feeding behavior in a population at Atol das Rocas was studied, taking into account the size of individuals, the proximity of the dens and characteristics of their "personality". The diet of the Rio do Fogo population was composed mainly of bivalve molluscs (82%), unlike Pirangi population that has a diet consisting mainly of crustaceans Decapoda (68%), similar to that described for the populations of the islands. Consequently, the feeding niches of the island populations were more similar, with greater overlap, but the niche breadth of the continent was larger. The habitats of occurrence on the coast includes reefs, rocks, gravel and an environment called Restinga, a plateau composed of biogenic gravel, sand, sponges and algae, showed a high density of animals. Similarly to that found in the islands, O. insularis in the continent, had a clumped distribution, and a bathymetric segregation between small and large individuals. The differences in diet composition among populations were explained by differences in habitat and coverage of the substrate, which may be directly influencing the diversity and prey availability in these environments. The individual analyzes of the population at Atol das Rocas, showed no relationship between the degree of individual specialization and the different personalities, or the distance between dens. The results suggest that the foraging strategy with greater availability of prey in the environment has an influence on diet octopuses over preferences or personalities

Influência das mudanças climáticas na estrutura funcional da comunidade fitoplanctônica em um reservatório da região do semiárido

The Brazilian Northeast is the most vulnerable region to climatic variability risks. For the Brazilian semi-arid is expected a reduction in the overall rates of precipitation and an increase in the number of dry days. These changes predicted by the IPCC (2007) will intensify the rainfall and droughts period that could promote the dominance of cyanobacteria, thus affecting the water quality of reservoirs, that are most used for water supply, in the semi-arid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of increasing temperature combined with nutrient enrichment on the functional structure of the phytoplankton community of a mesotrophic reservoir in the semi-arid, in the worst case scenario of climate change predicted by the IPCC (2007). Two experiments were performed, one in a rainy season and another in the dry season. In the water sampled, nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphate) were added in different concentrations. The microcosms were submitted to two different temperatures, five-year average of air temperature in the reservoir (control) and 4°C above the control temperature (warming). The results of this study showed that warming and nutrient enrichment benefited mainly the functional groups of cyanobacteria. During the rainy season it was verified the increasing biomass of small functional groups of unicellular and opportunists algae such as F (colonial green algae with mucilage) and X1 (nanoplanktonic algae of eutrophic lake systems). It was also observed an increasing in total biomass, in the richness and diversity of the community. In the dry season experiment there was a greater contribution in the relative biomass of filamentous algae, with a replacement of the group S1 (non-filamentous cyanobacteria with heterocytes) for H1 (filamentous cyanobacteria with heterocytes) in nutrient- enriched treatments. Moreover, there was also loss in total biomass, species richness and diversity of the community. The effects of temperature and nutrients manipulation on phytoplankton community of reservoir Ministro João Alves provoked changes in species richness, the diversity of the community and its functional composition, being the dry period which showed the highest susceptibility to the increase in the contribution of potentially toxic cyanobacteria with heterocytes

Biossorção utilizando alga marinha (sargassum sp.) aplicada em meio orgânico

In this work, biosorption process was used to remove heavy metals from used automotive lubricating oils by a bus fleet from Natal-RN-Brazil. This oil was characterized to determine the physical-chemistry properties. It was also characterized the used oil with the aim of determining and quantifying the heavy metal concentration. Fe and Cu were the metals existent in large concentration and these metals were choused to be studied in solubilization process. For the biosorption process was used the seaweed Sargassum sp for the study of influencing of the metals presents separately and with other metals. It was also studied the effect of the protonation treatment of alga with the objective to know the best efficiency of heavy metals removal. The study of the solubilization showed that the presence of more than a metal favors the solubilization of the metals presents in the oil and consequently, it favors the biosorption process, what becomes interesting the perspective application in the heavy metals removal in lubricating oils used, because the presence of more than a heavy metal favors the solubility of all metals present. It was observed that the iron and copper metals, which are present in large concentration, the protonated biosorbtent was more effective. In this study we used as biomass the marine alga Sargassum sp to study the influence of agitation velocity, temperature and initial biomass concentration on the removal of iron and copper from used lubricant oils. We performed an experimental design and a kinetic study. The experiments were carried out with samples of used lubricant oil and predetermined amounts of algae, allowing sufficient time for the mixture to obtain equilibrium under controlled conditions. The results showed that, under the conditions studied, the larger the amount of biomass present, the lower the adsorption capacity of the iron and of the copper, likely due to a decrease in interface contact area. The experimental design led us to conclude that a function can be obtained that shows the degree of influence of each one of the system variables

Eutrofização do Reservatório Cruzeta na bacia representativa do rio Seridó RN

Eutrophication has been listed as one of the main problems of water pollution on a global level. In the Brazilian semi-arid areas this problem takes even greater proportions due to characteristical water scarcity of the region. It is extremely important to the predictive eutrophication models development and to the reservoirs management in the semi-arid region, studies that promotes understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the expansion and control of algae blooms, essential for improving the water quality of these environments. The present study had as its main aims, evaluate the temporal pattern of trophic state, considering the influence of nutrients (N and P) and the light availability in the water column in the development of phytoplankton biomass, and perform the mathematical modelling of changes in phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations in the Cruzeta man-made lake located on Seridó, a typical semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte. To this, a fortnightly monitoring was performed in the reservoir in 05 stations over the months of March 2007 to May 2008. Were measured the concentrations of total phosphorus, total organic nitrogen, chlorophyll a, total, fixed and volatile suspended solids, as well as the measure of transparency (Secchi) and the profiles of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity in the water column. Measurements of vertical profiles have shown some periods of chemical and thermal stratification, especially in the rainy season, due to increased water column depth, however, the reservoir can be classified as warm polimitic. During the study period the reservoir was characterized as eutrophic considering the concentrations of phosphorus and most of the time as mesotrophic, based on the concentrations of chlorophyll a, according to the Thornton & Rast (1993) classification. The N:P relations suggest N limitation, conversely, significant linear relationship between the algae biomass and nutrients (N and P) were not observed in our study. However, a relevant event was the negative and significant correlation presented by Kt and chlorophyll a (r ² = 0.83) at the end of the drought of 2007 and the rainy season of 2008, and the algal biomass collapse observed at the end of the drought season (Dec/07). The equation used to simulate the change in the total phosphorus was not satisfactory, being necessary inclusion of parameters able to increase the power of the model prediction. The chlorophyll a simulation presented a good adjustment trend, however there is a need to check the calibrated model parameters and subsequent equation validation

Levantamento florístico das comunidades de macroalgas da bacia do Rio das Pedras, região centro-sul do estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ecological distribution of stream macroalgae in different spatial scales using taxonomic and morphological groups

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da flotação por ar dissolvido no polimento de efluentes de lagoa de estabilização

Experience in the use of stabilization ponds shows that this is a system with low cost, easy operation and maintenance and suitable for tropical countries. One of its disadvantages is due to high concentrations of suspended solids, mainly due to algal biomass in the effluents. Accordingly, the dissolved air flotation has been shown to be an efficient post-treatment technology. However, the efficiency of this process is related to coagulation and flocculation steps, as well as the adjustment of the involved variables in the process. The objective of this work was to evaluate the algae removal efficiency from wastewater stabilization ponds and the influence of the factors involved in the process using dissolved air flotation. For this, we used primary facultative and maturation effluents of ETE Ponta Negra in Natal. We did tests of coagulation, flocculation and flotation with the samples, using the equipment flotatest. In this process were tested coagulants aluminum sulfate and ferric chloride, and varied the factors pH, coagulant concentration, polymer concentration and rate of recirculation. At the end of the experiments were analyzed turbidity, suspended solids, color, COD and chlorophyll "a". These results were submitted to descriptive statistics to verify the efficiency of the process in general, and regression analysis to identify models that describe the process and demonstrate the factors that have greater influence on flotation. After step methodology, high values were found removal efficiency of suspended solids, reaching values greater than 90% in the best cases. It was concluded that flotation is more efficient in the facultative pond effluent using ferric chloride, and the variability of algae may negatively influence the process. Regression analyzes showed that pH is the most influential variable in the coagulation-flocculation-flotation, and its optimal value among the tested is 5.5 for both coagulants

Remoção de Microalgas de efluentes de lagoas de estabilização utilizando biofiltro

This research evaluated the microalgae removal produced in a stabilization pond system using biofilters as post-treatment, besides characterizing the effluents of stabilization ponds and filters in relation to concentrations of algal biomass (chlorophyll a and suspended solids), organic matter (BOD and COD), total phosphorus, orthophosphate, pH and dissolved oxygen, and tried to correlate physicochemical parameters with chlorophyll "a". It was held at the Ponta Negra ETE which is constituted by three stabilization ponds, with a primary facultative pond and two of maturation. For the algae removal were used two submerged bio-filters: the filter FPF (Facultative Pond Filter), fed with facultative pond effluent; and the filter MPF (Maturation Pond Filter), fed with second maturation pond effluent. The filling material of both filters was predominantly gravel no. 2, although it contains portions of gravel no. 1 and no. 3. The filters operating conditions were bad, they were nearly 10 years without maintenance, without cleaning or removal of sludge since the time of its construction, and part of the filling material may be obstruct. Despite poor operating conditions were obtained satisfactory results, in level of posttreatment. Removal efficiencies in relation to BOD and COD were 7 and 25% in FPF and 9 and 19% and in MPF, respectively. In relation to TSS efficiencies in MPF and FPF were 37 and 20%, respectively. As for the chlorophyll "a" removal, the FPF efficiency was 44% and the MPF was 40%. There was 50% of consumption of dissolved oxygen, on average, within the filters. Two profiles were performed in the filters, and it was possible to conclude that variations throughout the day were not statistically significant, and that, regardless of the time of collection, they would have the same representation comparing to the time of data collection (7 am) and the daily average, although individual variations throughout the day have been shown to be significant. Another important observation is that the correlations between Chlorophyll a and TSS were bigger and more significant in the effluent of the filters than in the effluent of the ponds

Basicladia emedii (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta): a new freshwater epilithic species from Brazil

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

Utilización de columnas verticales de filtración de manta y arena como pre-tratamiento de un sistema de filtración lenta

Slow sand filtration is an efficient water treatment technique used for treating surface water with relatively low levels of contamination. Despite the slow sand filtration at pathogen, algae and cyanobacteria removal efficiency, it has some restrictions in relation to the required area for slow filters, and the cleaning activities for the filters and the stone pre-filters when used in the treatment. This research evaluated during 120 days the use of non woven & sand pre-filtration columns as part of a slow filtration process for the apparent color, turbidity, algae, cyanobacteria, phytoflagellates and diatomaceous. The columns shown an efficient removal of the monitored parameters and demonstrated as a vantage their faster and easier cleaning process and less awkward than the required to the stone pre-filters. The turbidity removal efficiency increased progressively during the experiment, especially after the first 35 days of the start; the apparent color removal by the pre-filtration columns was of 85%, and working together with the polishing of activated carbon columns was up to 95; the diatomaceous, phytoflagellates, algae and cyanobacteria removal by the columns achieve a weekly average of 95%, its recommended to use filtration rates lower to 1,5m(3)/m(2)/d.

Cultivo de algas marinhas como desenvolvimento de comunidades costeiras

In northeastern Brazil, the extraction of agar has increased considerably in recent decades mainly using macroalgae of the genus Gracilaria. The pressure of the harvest of seaweed of this genus has compromised the sustainability of this natural resource. Given the current framework of decline in production of algae in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, it is necessary the deployment of crops that will assist in the development of coastal areas. This research aimed to develop studies on growth, productivity, efficiency and quality of agar of G. birdiae so as to provide subsidies for crops on commercial scale. The study was carried out in dry and rainy periods using rafts of cultivation. Algal biomass and the physical and chemical parameters of water were measured every fifteen days. In laboratory, the resistance and quality of agar were analyzed. The relative growth rate (TCR) was determined by the formula: RGR = ln (final weight / weight initial). 100 / interval time of sampling. During the study, environmental factors as salinity and temperature remained relatively constant (around 35 PSU and 28°C, respectively). The mean values of biomass ranged around 1952.67 ± 576g in the rainy period and 1925.67 ± 450g in the dry period, and they presented no significant variations. The maximum value of growth (TCR) was recorded in the dry season (7.45%.day-1), with an average over the study of 4.35%.day-1. The yield of agar ranged from 22% to 15%, and its resistance ranged from 850 to 650g. cm². The average obtained for the two periods was approximately 750 g cm². These results demonstrate the great potential of Gracilaria birdiae for mariculture can be used as an sustainable activity for coastal communities