Argilas/lamas e águas termais das Furnas (Açores): avaliação das propriedades físicas e químicas relevantes para a utilização em peloterapia

Mestrado em Minerais e Rochas IndustriaisNo presente, verifica-se um aumento de interesse e preferência em muitas áreas dos cuidados de saúde por tratamentos que envolvam produtos naturais em vez de tratamentos que envolvam apenas medicina convencional. É a chamada “naturoterapia” que envolve diferentes metodologias como a fitoterapia, hidroterapia, termoterapia e peloterapia. A utilização apropriada de certos minerais e outros recursos minerais em geomedicina pode reduzir tanto a utilização de fármacos como o número de dias de falta ao emprego devido a problemas de saúde. Existem em Portugal lamas/argilas que são utilizadas para tratamentos medicinais, tanto na área geológica onde ocorrem naturalmente como em Centros de Thalassoterapia e Estâncias Termais. Portugal também é rico em excelentes águas minero-medicinais, algumas com elevado carácter termal. A sua diversidade é grande em termos das propriedades químicas e físicas. No Vale das Furnas, na ilha de São Miguel, no arquipélago dos Açores existem mais de duas dúzias de nascentes de carácter hipertermal, mesotermal e hipotermal. Associadas a algumas dessas nascentes existem também lamas que são utilizadas localmente para tratamentos de certas doenças. Posteriormente, houve também a oportunidade de amostrar as Furnas do Enxofre, na ilha Terceira, do mesmo arquipélago onde ocorrem lamas que poderão ter também aplicação na geomedicina. Pretende-se assim com este trabalho caracterizar algumas nascentes e lamas/argilas do ponto de vista geoquímico para possível aplicação em peloterapia.At present there is a growing interest and preference in many areas of human health care for treatments involving natural means rather than for treatments involving only conventional medicine. It is the so-called “naturotherapy”, that involves distinct methodologies, such as: phytotherapy, hydrotherapy, thermotherapy and mudtherapy. The appropriate use of minerals and other mineral resources in geomedicine can reduce both pharmacs consumption and the number of working days people miss due to health problems. There are, in Portugal, muds/clays that are being used for health treatments, outdoors in the geological sites where they naturally occur either indoors in Thalassoterapy Centers or in Thermal Spas. Portugal is also rich in excellent minero-medicinal waters, some of them of marked thermal character. Their diversity is great, in terms of chemical and physical properties. In Vale das Furnas, S. Miguel island, in Azores archipelago, there are more than two dozens of springs of hyperthermal, mesothermal and hypothermal character. In association to some of those springs muds/ clays occur and are used locally for health treatments. Later, there was also the opportunity to collect samples from Furnas do Enxofre, Terceira island, in the same archipelago where muds occur and could also have geomedicinal application. The aim of this research is to characterize the geochemical properties of some springs and muds/ clays for possible application in mudtherapy

Caracterização multidisciplinar de eflorescências salinas no Mosteiro da Batalha

O Mosteiro da Batalha é uma relevante obra da arquitectura gótica, resultou do cumprimento da promessa feita por D. João I, após vitória na batalha de Aljubarrota. O mosteiro esteve na posse dos dominicanos até à extinção das ordens religiosas, sendo actualmente dependência da DGPC e Património da Humanidade pela UNESCO. Recentemente a Universidade Aveiro caracterizou estrutural do monumento. Entre as técnicas testadas considera-se aqui o potencial espontâneo, anteriormente aplicados na Igreja da Graça em Santarém (Martinho et. al, 2014). Seleccionou-se uma parede com eflorescências na qual se sobrepôs uma grelha de eléctrodos (12×5) espaçados de 0.5m. O mapeamento do potencial espontâneo foi realizado tendo como referência um eléctrodo sobre eflorescências. Concluiu-se que as zonas da parede com sais estão ao mesmo potencial, enquanto as zonas onde as eflorescências não ocorrem apresentam um potencial mais elevado. A composição mineralógica dos sais foi estudada por Difracção de Raios X

The ITRAX core scanner, a useful tool to distinguish anthropic vs. climatic influences in lagoon of Aveiro (N Portugal)

The main goal of this work is to distinguish anthropic and climatic influences in sediments from the lagoon of Aveiro (Portugal). This study is based on a core (240-cm long) collected in Murtosa Channel. Optical and X-radiographic images and high-resolution elemental profiles were acquired with ITRAX micro-X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanner. Samples collected at each ≈3 cm along the core were analysed for grain size and total organic carbon. Furthermore, the fine fraction of selected layers was subjected to geochemical analysis by ICP-MS, after total acid digestion of the sediments, and mineralogical analysis, by XRD techniques. A radiocarbon age was determined by AMS, using molluscs shells collected at a depth of 90 cm. Sediments along the core are composed by fine and medium sand, with several mud layers. Sediments composing the first 100-cm may have been deposited after 1950, as it is indicated by the radiocarbon data, the increasing trend of Zn/Al, Pb/Al and Cu/Al and total concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu, V, Cr, As and Ni in this interval that therefore might be linked with industrial activities of Chemical Complex of Estarreja. The progressive increase of Si/Al, Cl/Al, Rb/Al, K/Al and Br/Al and reduced Al concentrations, from the base to the top of this core, are interpreted as being related to higher marine influence and greater differences in tidal currents with longer exposition to air of the sediments with the consequent formation of brines favouring minerals precipitation in the area (e.g. anhydrite). These results seem to be a consequence of several works developed over time like: i) dredging to improve the navigation access to the harbour, located in the external sector of the lagoon; ii) the control of the course of some rivers influencing the supply of sediments. The tendency of sea level rise may have also emphasized the gradual increase of marine influence in this area. Fine-grained sections, related to an increase in Al, phyllosilicates, organic matter, pyrite and siderite contents would be attributed to phases of greater supply of fine-sediments during heavy rainfall events by the nearby Antuã river and other streams during negative phases of North Atlantic Oscillation. Higher deposition of organic matter enhanced diagenetic changes with pyrite and siderite formation. In the bottom of the core another record of pollution was unveiled to mining activities at the beginning of 20th century.FCT de Portugal - C/CTE/UI4035/2011CNPq - 401803/2010-

Assessment of Clayey Peloid Formulations Prior to Clinical Use in Equine Rehabilitation

Clays are natural ingredients used to prepare therapeutic cataplasms suitable for topical application. The knowledge about these formulations and their preparations to be applied on humans and animals has been orally transmitted since ancient times. Several empirical methods using clays have demonstrated fast and effective results in the reduction of the inflammatory response and the formation of edemas in horse limbs. The use of traditional and alternative medicine, such as pelotherapy, is now becoming more popular in veterinarian medical practice, alone or combined with other therapies in horse muscle and tendon rehabilitation. This study characterizes the use of commercial equine clays and an old therapeutic clay cataplasm formulation, using acetic acid, to treat tendon injuries in horses. This work might contribute to a major database characterization of clays used empirically on equine health, the potential of dermal absorption, the risks of exposure to some toxic elements, and safety assessment for these formulations. The present study was carried out to characterize the suitability of four commercial equine clays (Group II) and a protocoled healing mixture: “clay acetic acid cataplasm”, (Group III), to treat tendon injuries in horses. In this mixture, three conventional “green” clays (Group I) without any mineralogical specificity were used and blended with acetic acid. The mineralogical composition was determined through X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray fluorescence data. To determine the performance of the samples, cooling kinetics, oil absorption, expandability, and specific surface area were measured. According to the mineralogical composition, Group I was mainly composed of carbonates and silicates, while Group II was much richer in silicates with the main clay minerals kaolinite and illite. Group II exhibited the highest values for As, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Zn, considered potentially toxic. Both groups showed low cation exchange capacities and exchanged mainly Ca2+, with the exception of VET.1 and VET.7, which also highlight Na+, and VET.5 and VET.6, which have K+ as an exchangeable main cation. The addition of acetic acid (Group III) does not reveal any significant chemical changes. The results confirm that both clay groups are adequate for the therapeutic propose. They have good plastic properties (skin adherence), good oil absorptive capabilities (cleaning), and exchange an essential physiological element, calcium. Group II has prior industrial preparation, which is probably why it showed better results. Group I presented lower heat retention capacity and higher abrasiveness, which could be improved using cosmetic additives. The clinical benefit of the “clay acetic acid cataplasm” (Group III) could be the systemic anti-inflammatory effect established by the acetic acid

Development of semi-solid cosmetic formulations containing coenzyme Q10-loaded nanocapsules

Nanocapsule suspensions containing coenzyme Q10 were prepared by interfacial deposition. The nanocapsules showed characteristics compatible with dermal application: slightly acid pH, drug content close to 100%, particle size between 213 and 248 nm with low polydispersity and negative zeta potential. Three cosmetic formulations for skin application were developed, one with the free-coenzyme Q10, a second with a suspension of coenzyme Q10-loaded nanocapsules and a third containing dried coenzyme Q10-loaded nanocapsules. The dried nanocapsules were obtained by spray-drying of the suspension. No significant differences in the diameters of the particles after their incorporation in the semi-solid formulations were observed in comparison with those of nanocapsules in the aqueous suspension. The rheological characterization showed that the formulations containing coenzyme Q10-loaded nanocapsules had a pseudoplastic flow, while the formulation containing free-coenzyme Q10 had a yield-pseudoplastic flow. The semi-solid formulations containing coenzyme Q10-loaded nanocapsules suspension or powder of nanocapsules of coenzyme Q10 redispersed in water are promising cosmetic formulations for topical application.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire