Study on the use of Typha spp. for the phytotreatment of water contaminated with ibuprofen

Several studies on phytotoxic effects caused by organic xenobiotics and their removal from water by macrophytes have already been performed to evaluate the usefulness of these plants for phytoremediation technologies. In this context, a study was conducted to assess Typha spp.’s ability to withstand and remove, from water, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen. For an initial ibuprofen concentration of 20 mgL 1, Typha removed nearly 60% of it within the first 24 h, attaining over 99% removal by the end of the assay (21 days). Exposure to higher ibuprofen concentrations did affect Typha’s growth but, by the end of the assays, plants’ growth as well as photosynthetic pigments approached normal values. An alteration in antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase) indicated that both roots and leaves were affected by the xenobiotic. Eventually, Typha seemed able to cope with ibuprofen’s induced oxidative damage suggesting its ability for phytotreatment of waters contaminated with ibuprofen

Impactos ambientais do manejo agroecológico da caatinga no Rio Grande do Norte.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os impactos ambientais do manejo agroecológico da caatinga, em unidades de produção familiar no Rio Grande do Norte, pelo método Ambitec de produção animal - dimensão ambiental, desenvolvido pela Embrapa Meio Ambiente. Foram avaliadas sete unidades de produção familiar, em quatro projetos de assentamentos de reforma agrária do Município de Apodi, RN. Os dados para o levantamento foram obtidos por meio de questionários aplicados aos representantes das unidades produtivas familiares, que atribuíram, a cada variável estudada, um valor que representou a alteração proporcionada pela implementação da tecnologia. Após a inserção dos coeficientes de alteração de cada variável dos indicadores por unidade de produção, o coeficiente de impacto foi automaticamente calculado por meio da planilha Ambitec. O manejo agroecológico da caatinga resultou num impacto ambiental positivo, e suas maiores contribuições foram relacionadas aos efeitos positivos dos seguintes indicadores: capacidade produtiva do solo, uso de insumos materiais, qualidade do produto e diminuição da emissão de poluentes à atmosfera. Dois indicadores geraram efeitos negativos: o uso de energia e o uso de recursos naturais. Pela superioridade dos benefícios gerados, o manejo agroecológico da caatinga é uma inovação tecnológica geradora de impactos ambientais positivos

Magnetite nanoparticles functionalized propolis extract as nano-antibiotics against methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Due to their ability to penetrate planktonic and biofilm organized bacteria , nano-antimicrobial agents have been perceived, in recent years, in almost every domain of life especially in health care for the control of infectious diseases. Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) have been evaluated for inhibiting microbial growth and biofilm formation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Moroccan propolis extract functionalized magnetite nanoparticles as nanoantibiotics against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) growth. Chemical composition of propolis was established by pyrolysis GC-MS method. The fabricated nanostructure was characterized by X-ray Diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy. FTIR spectroscopy data allowed to confirm functionalization of the MNPs upon contact with oleic acid (OA). Further functionalization with either propolis extract or chloramphenicol was also confirmed by observation of the corresponding FTIR spectra. When both components were added together to OA-functionalized MNPs, the presence of the former is clear whereas that of the latter is less evident, although possible. The use of MNPs functionalized with propolis and chloramphenicol (positive control) at MIC value against methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA strains inhibited the bacterial growth. After the treatment with functionalized MNPs the cells showed disruption of the cell wall as assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The use of the combination of propolis and the chloramphenicol antibiotic in free form at minimum inhibitory concentration largely impaired both MSSA and MRSA strains, after 2 h of treatment no viable cells of MRSA 2 and MRSA 16 were recovered.N/