The usefulness of ecotoxicological approaches to assess environmental impacts caused by oil spills

Accidents involving oil spills have a high potential to cause catastrophic environmental impacts. However, the Brazilian legislation and guidelines to plan and determine response actions in case of oil accidents are vague and generally do not include the assessment of toxic effects of oil on the exposed biota and ecosystems. Therefore, such actions are unable to adequately assess the environmental effects of oil in the short, medium and long terms. Ecotoxicological methods consist of cost-effective and robust alternatives to identify and quantify the effects of oil on the exposed ecosystems. Such approaches should be incorporated into response actions in episodes of oil spills in aquatic environments

Impacts of in vivo and in vitro exposures to tamoxifen: comparative effects on human cells and marine organisms

Tamoxifen (TAM) is a first generation-SERM administered for hormone receptor-positive (HER+) breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal patients and may undergo metabolic activation in organisms that share similar receptors and thus face comparable mechanisms of response. The present study aimed to assess whether environmental trace concentrations of TAM are bioavailable to the filter feeder M. galloprovincialis (100 ng L-1) and to the deposit feeder N. diversicolor (0.5, 10, 25 and 100 ng L-1) after 14 days of exposure. Behavioural impairment (burrowing kinetic), neurotoxicity (AChE activity), endocrine disruption by alkali-labile phosphate (ALP) content, oxidative stress (SOD, CAT, GPXs activities), biotransformation (GST activity), oxidative damage (LPO) and genotoxicity (DNA damage) were assessed. Moreover, this study also pertained to compare TAM cytotoxicity effects to mussels and targeted human (i.e. immortalized retinal pigment epithelium - RPE; and human transformed endothelial cells - HeLa) cell lines, in a range of concentrations from 0.5 ng L-1 to 50 μg L-1. In polychaetes N. diversicolor, TAM exerted remarkable oxidative stress and damage at the lowest concentration (0.5 ng L-1), whereas significant genotoxicity was reported at the highest exposure level (100 ng L-1). In mussels M. galloprovincialis, 100 ng L-1 TAM caused endocrine disruption in males, neurotoxicity, and an induction in GST activity and LPO byproducts in gills, corroborating in genotoxicity over the exposure days. Although cytotoxicity assays conducted with mussel haemocytes following in vivo exposure was not effective, in vitro exposure showed to be a feasible alternative, with comparable sensitivity to human cell line (HeLa).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Knowledge about goitre among female school-going children in Wellega Province, Ethiopia

Background: About 30% of the world population is affected by Iodine Deficiency Disorder and Ethiopia is among the top ten countries in the world with severe iodine deficiency. The objective of this study was to explore the knowledge about goitre and preventive measures among female school children aimed at reducing the occurrence of goitre.Methods: Quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to explore the knowledge about goitre among school-going children in three schools in Wellega Province, Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse, organise and interpret the findings.Results: A total of 364 girls aged between 15–19 years participated in the study. Overall, 71.4% did not have the knowledge about goitre, one third (28.6%) knew that goitre is caused by iodine deficiency and less than half (48.4%) knew that iodinated salt prevents occurrence of goitre. Sixty one per cent did not know which local foods aggravate goitre, 35.7% indicated that goitre affects both males and females and a small proportion identified pregnant women, children and adolescents as vulnerable groups for goitre. Only 38% received information about goitre from the schools.Conclusion: The level of knowledge about goitre among school girls in Wellega Province is low. It is recommended that concerted efforts targeting adolescents to acquire knowledge about the causes and prevention of goitre should be made and further studies should be done to explore perceptions and cultural factors that may contribute to the knowledge gap

Water toxicity assessment of Santos Bay under different climate conditions

Climate conditions and the movement of water masses are among the main factors that influence the destination of pollutants, acting upon transport and dispersion affecting, thus, the quality of water. Samples from Santos Bay were collected under normal conditions (08/21/2008) and during the entrance of a frontal system (08/22/2008) and tested for chronic ecotoxicity using fertilized eggs of sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus. Samples were toxic for stations near Xixová-Japuí State Park, Port of Santos, Submarine Outfall and Moela’s Island, sites related to pollution sources. Differences in climate conditions were observed and its contribution on toxicity seemed to be significant at the entrance of São Vicente estuary and Moela’s Island. At the stations in Santos Bay under influence of contamination from multiple sources such as the presence of outfall and sediments disposal from dredging, the continuous release of compounds still plays an important role in environmental quality

Sensitivities of two tropical epibenthic amphipodsto physical chemical variables and reference toxicants

This study sought to evaluate the sensitivity of two epibenthic amphipods (Hyalenigraand Hyaleyoungi) to reference substances inorder toevaluate their potential as test-organisms in ecotoxicological studies. First, theoptimal ranges of salinity, temperature, and pH were estimated for both species. Then, toxicity tests with different reference toxicants were conducted. The selected contaminants were cadmium chloride (CdCl2), sodium dodecyl sulfate detergent (C12H25NaO4S), ammonium chloride (NH4Cl2), potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), and zinc sulfate (ZnSO4).The mortalities were recorded and the effectiveconcentrations to 50% organisms (LC5096h)were estimated. Sensitivities of both species were similar to those reported in studies on other amphipods, which is evidence of the potential of these species to serve as test organisms in ecotoxicological studies

Contamination and toxicity in a subtropical Estuarine Protected Area influenced by former mining activities

The present paper reviews information about sources, fate, concentrations and toxicity of the metals found in the Cananéia-Iguape Estuarine Complex (CIEC), which is within a Ramsar site, the Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe Environmental Protected Area (CIP-PA). The main sources of metals to CIEC are the former mining sites located upstream, on the Ribeira de Iguape River basin. Pb is reported as the element of primary concern, but Cu, Zn, Cr and As have been detected in sediments and biota. In general, higher levels of metals are associated with muddy sediments, in depositional portions of the estuary. Metals appear to be bioavailable, as sediment toxicity has been reported, together with bioaccumulation and sub-chronic effects in fish and invertebrates. Areas with higher concentrations of metals and more severe sediment toxicity are not necessarily the closest to the sources. The worse conditions occur in depositional sites, which depend on rainfall in catchment basin and hydrological processes in the estuary. In fact, during the flooding season the deposition of particles seems to move southward, carrying metals to the southern portion of the CIEC. The results suggest that the protection objectives are not being fully achieved, demanding actions to ensure control of both internal and external sources of contaminants for the CIEC. Additionally, new enforcements and actions are required to control the contamination sources of mining residues located upstream. The current review highlights that estuarine and marine protected areas may be impacted by contaminants released from distant sources, and this situation should be properly addressed in management plans

Effects of home-based play-assisted stimulation on developmental performances of children living in extreme poverty : a randomized single-blind controlled trial

Background: Children living with foster families in a resource-limited setting such as Ethiopia are at risk of developmental problems. It is not yet clear whether intensive home-based developmental stimulation assisted by play can reduce these problems. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of play-assisted intervention integrated into basic services on the developmental performance of children living with foster families in extreme poverty. Methods: A randomized single-blind (investigator) controlled trial design was used. The study was conducted in Jimma, South West Ethiopia. Using computer-generated codes, eligible children of 3-59 months in age were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 39) and control (n = 39) groups at a 1:1 ratio. Children in the intervention group received home-based play-assisted stimulation in addition to the basic services provided to children in both groups. The intervention consisted of an hour of play stimulation conducted during a weekly home visit over the course of six months. Personal-social, language, fine and gross motor outcomes were assessed using Denver II-Jimma, and social-emotional outcome was obtained using an adapted Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE). Information about sociodemographic characteristics was collected using a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric methods were used to determine nutritional status. The effects of the intervention on the abovementioned outcomes over the study period and group differences in change over time were examined using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Results: Statistically significant intervention effects were found for language (P = 0.0014), personal-social (P = 0.0087) and social-emotional (P < 0.0001) performances. At the midline of the study, language (effect size = 0.34) and social-emotional (effect size = - 0.603) benefits from the play-assisted stimulation had already been observed for the children in the intervention group. For language, the intervention effect depended on the child's sex (P = 0.0100) and for personal-social performance, on family income (P = 0.0300). Conclusions: Intensive home-based play-assisted stimulation reduced the developmental problems of children in foster families in the context of extreme poverty. Longer follow-up may reveal further improvements in the developmental performance of the children

Autodiagnóstico para Seleção de Reservas de Surf: um Protocolo de Análise

Surfing reserves (SRs) have been created all around the world as part of international or national programs. They can represent relevant initiatives for the local coastal management and protection of surfing spots and their surrounding areas. The process for establishing a SR relies on a set of attributes, of four main themes (wave quality, environmental characteristics, culture and surf history, governance capacity and local support). In this research, we proposed and tested some forms of organizing and comparing these attributes and themes, in order to provide a simple and easy form of preliminarily evaluating a candidate site to be a SR. Four beaches from the coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, were compared (Maresias, Itamambuca, Guaraú and Praia Branca), and the themes and attributes were combined by qualitative and quantitative approaches. All approaches indicated Itamambuca beach as presenting the highest potential to be a SR. The stratified approaches, in which each of the four themes was evaluated separately and then combined with the other, appeared to be more consistent and easier to use and understand. We hope that these approaches are useful to surfing communities involved in SR candidatures, especially in the initial phases of analysis and diagnostic.Reservas de surf têm sido criadas em todo o mundo como parte de programas nacionais e internacionais, representando iniciativas relevantes para a gestão costeira local e a proteção das zonas de surf e suas áreas circunvizinhas. O processo de criação dessas reservas envolve uma série de atributos, dentro de quatro temas (qualidade de onda, características ambientais, história e cultura surf, governança e apoio local). Nesta pesquisa, foram propostas e testadas algumas formas de organizar e comparar esses temas e atributos, de modo a fornecer uma forma simples e fácil para avaliar de forma preliminar um determinado local como potencial candidato a se tornar uma reserva de surf. Quatro praias localizadas no estado de São Paulo, Brasil (Maresias, Itamambuca, Guaraú e Praia Branca), foram comparadas e os atributos e temas foram combinados por meio de abordagens qualitativas e quantitativas. Todas as abordagens apontaram a praia de Itamambuca como apresentando o maior potencial, nas condições atuais. As abordagens estratificadas, nas quais cada um dos quatro temas foi analisado separadamente para uma integração posterior, se revelaram mais consistentes e fáceis de serem utilizadas e compreendidas. Esperamos que estas abordagens possam ser úteis para comunidades interessadas em apresentar candidaturas de novas reservas de surf, principalmente nas fases iniciais de análise

A Rapid Protocol for the Preliminary Selection of Sites with Potential to be Surfing Reserves through Self-diagnosis

Reservas de surf têm sido criadas em todo o mundo como parte de programas nacionais e internacionais, representando iniciativas relevantes para a gestão costeira local e a proteção das zonas de surf e suas áreas circunvizinhas. O processo de criação dessas reservas envolve uma série de atributos, dentro de quatro temas (qualidade de onda, características ambientais, história e cultura surf, governança e apoio local). Nesta pesquisa, foram propostas e testadas algumas formas de organizar e comparar esses temas e atributos, de modo a fornecer uma forma simples e fácil para avaliar de forma preliminar um determinado local como potencial candidato a se tornar uma reserva de surf. Quatro praias localizadas no estado de São Paulo, Brasil (Maresias, Itamambuca, Guaraú e Praia Branca), foram comparadas e os atributos e temas foram combinados por meio de abordagens qualitativas e quantitativas. Todas as abordagens apontaram a praia de Itamambuca como apresentando o maior potencial, nas condições atuais. As abordagens estratificadas, nas quais cada um dos quatro temas foi analisado separadamente para uma integração posterior, se revelaram mais consistentes e fáceis de serem utilizadas e compreendidas. Esperamos que estas abordagens possam ser úteis para comunidades interessadas em apresentar candidaturas de novas reservas de surf, principalmente nas fases iniciais de análise.Surfing reserves (SRs) have been created all around the world as part of international or national programs. They can represent relevant initiatives for the local coastal management and protection of surfing spots and their surrounding areas. The process for establishing a SR relies on a set of attributes, of four main themes (wave quality, environmental characteristics, culture and surf history, governance capacity and local support). In this research, we proposed and tested some forms of organizing and com-paring these attributes and themes, in order to provide a simple and easy form of preliminarily evaluating a candidate site to be a SR. Four beaches from the coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, were compared (Maresias, Itamambuca, Guaraú and Praia Branca), and the themes and attributes were combined by qualitative and quantitative

Urbanización costera y polución marina

Historicamente, as cidades litorâneas brasileiras foram estabelecidas sem um planejamento adequado, muitas vezes deixando de lado alguns aspectos básicos, como os sistemas de saneamento. Assim, esgotos e águas de drenagem urbanas frequentemente acabam despejados no mar, onde produzem impactos negativos sobre o ambiente, a saúde pública e a economia. A situação ainda é bastante complicada, dado o enorme atraso na adequação das cidades quanto à coleta e à disposição final dos esgotos, e um quadro ainda mais preocupante se refere às drenagens urbanas. É fundamental que seja dada prioridade ao saneamento das cidades costeiras, considerando os objetivos de sustentabilidade previstos na Agenda 2030.Historically, the Brazilian coastal cities have established and grown without proper planning. Some basic aspects were often left aside, such as the sanitation systems. Thus, waste waters and urban stormwater runoff normally end up being released into the sea, where they cause adverse impacts on the environment, public health and economy. This scenario remains quite complicated, as the improvement of the cities’ infrastructure for collecting and treating waste waters is deeply delayed, and a more concerning picture refers to the urban drainage. It is necessary to prioritize the sanitation of Brazilian coastal cities, based on the sustainable development goals proposed in the Agenda 2030.Históricamente, las ciudades costeras brasileñas se establecieron sin una planificación adecuada, frecuentemente dejando de lado algunos aspectos básicos, como los sistemas de saneamiento. Por lo tanto, las aguas residuales y de drenaje urbanas terminan en el mar, en la mayoría de los casos, donde producen impactos negativos sobre el medio ambiente, la salud pública y la economía. La situación sigue siendo bastante complicada, dado el enorme retraso en la adecuación de las ciudades respecto a la recogida y destino final de las aguas residuales, y un panorama aún más preocupante se refiere en al drenaje urbano. Es fundamental que se dé prioridad al saneamiento en las ciudades costeras, considerando los objetivos de sostenibilidad establecidos en la Agenda 2030