TiO2-Photocatalyzed degradation of phenol in saline media in an annular reactor: hydrodynamics, lumped kinetics, intermediates, and acute toxicity

The photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous suspensions of TiO2 under different salt concentrations in an annular reactor has been investigated. In all cases, complete removal of phenol and mineralization degrees above 90% were achieved. The reactor operational parameters were optimized and its hydrodynamics characterized in order to couple mass balance equations with kinetic ones. The photodegradation of the organics followed a Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson lumped kinetics. From GC/MS analyses, several intermediates formed during oxidation have been identified. The main ones were catechol, hydroquinone, and 3-phenyl-2-propenal, in this order. The formation of negligible concentrations of 4-chlorophenol was observed only in high salinity medium. Acute toxicity was determined by using Artemia sp. as the test organism, which indicated that intermediate products were all less toxic than phenol and a significant abatement of the overall toxicity was accomplished, regardless of the salt concentration.(FAPERJ) Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de JaneiroFUJBCNPqPADC

Produção de mudas de Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.).

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Exploring the adoption of precision agriculture for irrigation in the context of agriculture 4.0: The key role of internet of things

In recent years, the concept of Agriculture 4.0 has emerged as an evolution of precision agriculture (PA) through the diffusion of the Internet of things (IoT). There is a perception that the PA adoption is occurring at a slower pace than expected. Little research has been carried out about Agriculture 4.0, as well as to farmer behavior and operations management. This work explores what drives the adoption of PA in the Agriculture 4.0 context, focusing on farmer behavior and operations management. As a result of a multimethod approach, the factors explaining the PA adoption in the Agriculture 4.0 context and a model of irrigation operations management are proposed. Six simulation scenarios are performed to study the relationships among the factors involved in irrigation planning. Empirical findings contribute to a better understanding of what Agriculture 4.0 is and to expand the possibilities of IoT in the PA domain. This work also contributes to the discussion on Agriculture 4.0, thanks to multidisciplinary research bringing together the different perspectives of PA, IoT and operations management. Moreover, this research highlights the key role of IoT, considering the farmer’s possible choice to adopt several IoT sensing technologies for data collection

Detection of Mycobacterium spp. in Coalho cheese commercialized in the city of Caicó-RN, Brazil.

Artisanal Coalho cheese is a popular dairy product, widely consumed in the Northeast region of Brazil, and is produced with raw or pasteurized milk. Microbial contamination of cheeses has very important consequences, both for the dairy industry, given the potential economic losses, and for public health, due to the risk of outbreaks of foodborne diseases. The present study aimed to detect Mycobaterium spp. in Coalho cheese commercialized in the city of Caicó-RN Brazil, using bacterial culture and molecular diagnosis. 50 samples of Coalho cheese obtained from local street market were analyzed, 35 of which were made from raw milk (artesanal cheese) and 15 with pasteurized milk (industrialized cheese)