Development of bioplastics from agro-wastes

During centuries synthetic polymers have been used in a variety of applications in the everyday of human life. They became essential due to its versatility, durability and low cost [1]. However, due to their excessive use, several drawbacks as its resistance to the decomposition, toxicity after incineration and accumulation in the environment induce negative ecological impact in landfills and water contamination [2]. Moreover, plastics production implies the use of non-renewable resources, such as, oil and natural gas that represents about 8 % of global consumption [1,2]. Therefore, become crucial to search for new ecological materials toward innovative and cost-effective fabrication of environmentally degradable plastics demonstrating similar performance to conventional ones [1,3]. Simultaneously, the high amount of agro-wastes generated from food industry have been a growing concern, around 1.3 billion tons are leftover, which became an environmental and financial issue [1]. Among these agro-waste stands out, food waste, halum and stems of vegetables/fruits, grains and seeds, from which it is possible to obtain natural polymers [3]. Biopolymers exhibit unique properties and can be produced from plants and crops wastes. Rubber, proteins, starch and cellulose are some of the examples [4]. Cellulose has been used for the production of biopolymers, nevertheless, because of the difficulty inherent in its extraction process, various methods have been studied in order to optimize this process. Currently, cellulose derivatives are used, which is an example of cellulose acetate, whose chemical purification process is quite costly and lengthy [1]. Thus, the present work, aims to directly synthetize biopolymers from agro-wastes. Green chemistry methodology is applied to extract natural polymers, such as cellulose, from vegetable wastes. Structural, morphological and mechanical characterization of the produced materials are accessed and compared with conventional synthetic polymers. Also, biodegradability assays will be performed to check the microorganisms’ capability to assimilate the produced bioplastics

Environmental risk assessment in a contaminated estuary: an integrated weight of evidence approach as a decision support tool

Environmental risk assessment of complex ecosystems such as estuaries is a challenge, where innovative and integrated approaches are needed. The present work aimed at developing an innovative integrative methodology to evaluate in an impacted estuary (the Sado, in Portugal, was taken as case study), the adverse effects onto both ecosystem and human health. For the purpose, new standardized lines of evidence based on multiple quantitative data were integrated into a weight of evidence according to a best expert judgment approach. The best professional judgment for a weight of evidence approach in the present study was based on the following lines of evidence: i) human contamination pathways; ii) human health effects: chronic disease; iii) human health effects: reproductive health; iv) human health effects: health care; v) human exposure through consumption of local agriculture produce; vi) exposure to contaminated of water wells and agriculture soils; vii) contamination of the estuarine sedimentary environment (metal and organic contaminants); viii) effects on benthic organisms with commercial value; and ix) genotoxic potential of sediments. Each line of evidence was then ordinally ranked by levels of ecological or human health risk, according to a tabular decision matrix and expert judgment. Fifteen experts scored two fishing areas of the Sado estuary and a control estuarine area, in a scale of increasing environmental risk and management actions to be taken. The integrated assessment allowed concluding that the estuary should not be regarded as impacted by a specific toxicant, such as metals and organic compounds hitherto measured, but by the cumulative risk of a complex mixture of contaminants. The proven adverse effects on species with commercial value may be used to witness the environmental quality of the estuarine ecosystem. This method argues in favor of expert judgment and qualitative assessment as a decision support tool to the integrative management of estuaries. Namely it allows communicating environmental risk and proposing mitigation measures to local authorities and population under a holistic perspective as an alternative to narrow single line of evidence approaches, which is mandatory to understand cause and effect relationships in complex areas like estuaries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Microbial diversity of anaerobic syngas-converting enrichments from a multi-orifice baffled bioreactor (MOBB)

Syngas fermentation can be used to produce fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass or other poorly biodegradable wastes. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize carboxydotrophic microorganisms in enrichments and evaluate their potential for syngas bioconversion. Anaerobic sludge that efficiently converted syngas (60% CO, 30% H2, 10% CO2) to methane, in a multi-orifice baffled bioreactor (MOBB), was used as inoculum to start enrichments with CO as carbon and energy source. Enrichments were started under a headspace containing 40% CO. Bottles amended with vancomycin and/or erythromycin were also inoculated to test the potential for enriching CO-converting methanogens. Methane and acetate were produced in the enrichment, but no growth or methane production was detected in incubation with antibiotics. In the enrichment, organisms related to Acetobacterium and Sporomusa species were the predominant bacterial species and Methanobacterium and Methanospirillum were the dominant archaea. The enrichment was subcultured and pasteurized to select for spore-forming bacteria and to inactivate methanogens. A stable enrichment culture was obtained that converted up to 100% CO. This enrichment produced hydrogen and acetate. The pasteurized culture showed a low microbial diversity; more than 90% of the community was related to Sporomusa ovata (97% identity). The results suggest that methane production from CO in the MOBB is a combined activity of carboxydotrophic acetogenic bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Interestingly, growth of S. ovata with high concentrations of CO was never shown before.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Los moluscos del cesped algal intermareale en Azores

The molluscan fauna of the high intertidal algal turf on the island of Pico (Azores) was studied in order to complement existing descriptions of the intertidal biota on these islands. A total of 15,275 specimens belonging to 19 species were found. Five species, the gastropods Alvania mediolittoralis Gofas, 1989, Omalogyra atomus (Philippi, 1841), Pisinna glabrata (Megerle von Muhlfeld, 1824) and Skeneopsis planorbis (Fabricius 0., 1780), and the bivalve Lasaea adansoni (Gmelin, 1791), account for 98% of the total number of specimens, P. glabrata itself being responsible for 46% of all specimens. In places where patellid limpets are absent, Ihe algal turf extends higher in the intertidal zone. In such places, three very abundant molluscan species characterize molluscan assemblages in the algal turf: Lasaea adansoni, Skeneopsis planorbis and Pisinna glabrata, Lasaeo adansoni and Skeneopsis planorbis virtually disappear in the transition from algal lurf to algal fronds, the only (very) abundant species being P. glabrata and, with less importance, Omalogyra atomus and Sinezona cingulata (Costa O.G., 1861)

Enrichment of syngas-converting communities from a multi-orifice baffled bioreactor

The substitution of natural gas by renewable biomethane is an interesting option to reduce global carbon footprint. Syngas fermentation has potential in this context, as a diverse range of low-biodegradable materials that can be used. In this study, anaerobic sludge acclimatized to syngas in a multi-orifice baffled bioreactor (MOBB) was used to start enrichments with CO. The main goals were to identify the key players in CO conversion and evaluate potential interspecies metabolic interactions conferring robustness to the process. Anaerobic sludge incubated with 0.7 × 105 Pa CO produced methane and acetate. When the antibiotics vancomycin and/or erythromycin were added, no methane was produced, indicating that direct methanogenesis from CO did not occur. Acetobacterium and Sporomusa were the predominant bacterial species in CO-converting enrichments, together with methanogens from the genera Methanobacterium and Methanospirillum. Subsequently, a highly enriched culture mainly composed of a Sporomusa sp. was obtained that could convert up to 1.7 × 105 Pa CO to hydrogen and acetate. These results attest the role of Sporomusa species in the enrichment as primary CO utilizers and show their importance for methane production as conveyers of hydrogen to methanogens present in the culture.Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (024.002.002); FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (323009); Norte 2020 - Sistema de Apoio a Investigação Científica e Tecnol ogica (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004); Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PD/BD/128030/2016, SFRH/BPD/104837/ 2014).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Socio-demographic and reproductive characteristics of adolescent mothers who attended an inpatient clinic linked to the Adolescent Unit of a public hospital

Tendo em vista os problemas inerentes à gravidez na adolescência e a importância de direcionar ações de saúde para essa população a Unidade de Adolescentes do Instituto da Criança do Hospital das Clínicas da USP estendeu o atendimento, oferecendo atenção integral para mães adolescentes e seus filhos que freqüentaram o pré-natal na Disciplina de Obstetrícia da FMUSP. Este estudo visou identificar algumas características do modo de vida das mães adolescentes que freqüentam esse serviço. A população amostral foi constituída pelas 81 jovens que freqüentavam o ambulatório no período de estudo. Verificou-se que 76,5% delas não planejaram a gestação. Mesmo assim, com o apoio familiar e da instituição, planejavam mais filhos em data futura. A maioria delas convivia com o companheiro que, algumas vezes, assumiu também a chefia da família da adolescente. Grande parte delas, 54,3 % abandonou os estudos e, das 59 mães que trabalhavam, 38 deixaram de fazê-lo. As atividades de lazer foram modificadas e cerca de metade das jovens deixou de participar de qualquer atividade de lazer. O estudo permite ressaltar as repercussões da maternidade na vida das jovens e evidencia a importância do pré-natal e de serviços que proporcionem atendimento pós-parto, enfocando a saúde de uma forma global, beneficiando as adolescentes e seus filhos.Taking into account the inherent problems concerning adolescent pregnancy and the importance of implementing health actions targeted at that population, this paper aims to identify social characteristics of adolescent mothers who were followed up, during the prenatal period, by the Discipline of Obstetrics of the School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo, linked to the Adolescent Unit of Hospital das Clínicas. The sample population was composed of the 81 mothers who attended that Unit during the study period. Information concerning personal characteristics was collected by a survey. It was verified that 76.5% of the young mothers had not intended to become pregnant, but with the support provided by the family and the institution, they were planning to have more babies in the future. The majority of them lived with their partner, who, in some cases, became the head of the adolescent's family. Of the 81 mothers, 39.5% did not complete elementary school; 54.3% quitted studying and 49% did not work. Their leisure activities changed and approximately half of the adolescents stopped participating in any leisure activity, during and after pregnancy. The study emphasizes the importance of prenatal and postnatal care in order to benefit those young women and their children

Extreme Floods in Small Mediterranean Catchments: Long-Term Response to Climate Variability and Change

: Climate change implies changes in the frequency and magnitude of flood events. The influence of climate variability on flooding was evaluated by an analysis of sedimentary (palaeofloods) and documentary archives. A 500-year palaeoflood record at Montlleó River (657 km2 in catchment area), eastern Spain, revealed up to 31 palaeofloods with a range of discharges of 20-950 m3 s −1 , and with at least five floods exceeding 740-950 m3 s −1 . This information contrasts with the available gauged flood registers (since year 1971) with an annual maximum daily discharge of 129 m3 s −1 . Our palaeoflood dataset indicates flood cluster episodes at (1) 1570-1620, (2) 1775-1795, (3) 1850-1890, and (4) 1920-1969. Flood rich periods 1 and 3 corresponded to cooler than usual (about 0.3 ◦C and 0.2 ◦C) climate oscillations, whereas 2 and 4 were characterised by higher inter-annual climatic variability (floods and droughts). This high inter-annual rainfall variability increased over the last 150 years, leading to a reduction of annual maximum flow. Flood quantiles (>50 years) calculated from palaeoflood+gauged data showed 30%-40% higher peak discharges than those using only instrumental records, whereas when increasing the catchment area (1500 km2 ) the discharge estimation variance decreased to ~15%. The results reflect the higher sensitivity of small catchments to changes on flood magnitude and frequency due to climate variability whereas a larger catchment buffers the response due to the limited extent of convective storms. Our findings show that extended flood records provide robust knowledge about hazardous flooding that can assist in the prioritization of low-regret actions for flood-risk adaptation to climate change

Four new coordination polymers involving transition metals with 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylate and pyridyl-donor ligand di(4-pyridyl) sulfide

AbstractFour new coordination polymers namely {[Mn2(BT)(DPS)2(H2O)6]·10H2O}n (MnBTDPS), {[Co2(BT)(DPS)2(H2O)6]·10H2O}n (CoBTDPS), {[Cu2(BT)(DPS)(H2O)4]·5H2O}n (CuBTDPS) and {[Zn2(BT)(DPS)2]·6H2O}n (ZnBTDPS), where BT=1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylate and DPS=di(4-pyridyl) sulfide, were synthesized and characterized by thermal analysis, vibrational spectroscopy (Raman and infrared) and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In all compounds, the DPS ligands are coordinated to metal sites in a bridging mode and the carboxylate moiety of BT ligands adopts a monodentate coordination mode, as indicated by the Raman spectra data through the Δν (νasym(COO)−ν sym(COO)) value. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, MnBTDPS and CoBTDPS are isostructural and in these cases, the metal centers exhibit a distorted octahedral geometry. In CuBTBPP, the Cu2+ centers geometries are best described as square-pyramids, according to the trigonality index τ=0.14 for Cu1 and τ=0.10 for Cu2. On the other hand, in ZnBTDPS, the Zn2+ sites adopt a tetrahedral geometry. Finally, the four compounds formed two-dimensional sheets that are connected to each other through hydrogen bonding giving rise to three-dimensional supramolecular arrays

Unraveling who is who in methanogenic oil degradation

2015 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem ConferenceMethanogenesis from hydrocarbons is a potentially important component of attenuation in water and sediments impacted by oil spills. The largest fraction of crude oil consists of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHC). Current knowledge on key microorganisms degrading alkenes is scarce and is a central question addressed in our research. A methanogenic hexadecene (Hxd)-degrading consortium was obtained from laboratory microcosms inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge, and characterized by 16S rRNA gene amplification, cloning and sequencing. We have learned by community analysis that the present bacteria belong mainly to Syntrophaceae and Synergistaceae families. A Syntrophus-like microorganism (96% similarity at genera level) is possibly involved in Hxd degradation. Known methanogens utilizing acetate and H2/CO2 were identified, namely Methanosaeta-, Methanobacterium- and Methanolinea-related microorganisms, and were likely the syntrophic partners in Hxd degradation. With these results we find hints for similar pathways involved in alkenes and alkanes biodegradation. For alkanes, complete degradation to methane can occur through syntrophic interactions between bacteria and methanogens. This is the first time that an alkene-degrading methanogenic mixed community is characterized. Novel microorganisms involved in AHC degradation could be identified. This information is useful for understanding who is doing what, and at what rate. It can be used for innovative biotechnological solutions for deep contaminated sites clean-up.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio