The ‘Urbanforest’ and ‘Green space’ Classification Model in the Spatial Arrangement of Registro-SP, Brazil

The necessity of handling green areas relating to urban settings has become one of the vital environmental challenges in view of several accumulated environmental problems in the last few decades. In United States and Canada, many investments are being made for new techniques and instruments that are needed in environmental planning involving urban forest researches both in the local and national scale. However, there are few reports on urban forest classification connecting spatial characteristics, physical structures involving pattern and process. With the objective to classify urban green areas for integrated approach, this research have focused on urban pattern for an effective understanding of urban forest concept, green areas and urban vegetation types. The urban morphology in consistency with the urban forest Focus Chat (FC) recently designed has been applied to characterize spatial categories of urban vegetation involved in the urban arrangement of Registro-SP. Method has integrated zones, patterns and processes for technical analyses to contemplate the urban dynamics, occupation and land use. Categories of urban forest and vegetation types were derived for the urban planning and system management. The resulting pattern can be technically monitored in the use of suitable GIS (Geographical Information System) software for physical and environmental records.

Mercury exposure among dental staff in the legal Amazon / Exposição a mercúrio entre profissionais da área odontológica na Amazônia legal

Elemental mercury is highly toxic and may be absorbed by dental professionals through direct skin contact or inhalation. The use of mercury in dental amalgam has been a concern of the academic community for years, for its incorporation is likely to affect vital organ systems. Several studies have been conducted to address the possible risks of occupational exposure to mercury vapor in dental offices. The present study aimed to present evidences that mercury is assimilated by exposed workers through the determination of urinary mercury (HgU) from dental professionals (n = 91) of public offices in Araguaína (Tocantins, Brazil). This uptake was verified against samples from unexposed individuals (n = 43), which activities are not dentistry related. Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) technique enabled the subjects’ biological monitoring. Approximately 44.8% (n = 60) of the 134 participants were aged between 21 and 30 years and were at the beginning of their professional lives; 9.7% (13) of the study participants were men and 90.3% (121) were women. Hg concentrations in all samples analyzed were within the maximum biological limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO) (<50 ?gHg·L?1). HgU concentrations in dental professionals were within the limits proposed by the Brazilian regulatory standard, Regulatory Norm-7 (RN-7) (?35 ?gHg·g?1 creatinine). Nevertheless, the average concentration of HgU was approximately 8 times higher in the potentially exposed group (5.61 ?gHg·g?1 creatinine) than in the unexposed group (0.65 ?gHg·g?1 creatinine), highlighting the potential risk of occupational exposure to mercury

Validação de metodologia analítica para determinação de mercúrio total em amostras de urina por espectrometria de absorção atômica com geração de vapor frio (CV-AAS): estudo de caso

Mercury is a toxic metal used in a variety of substances over the course history. One of its more dubious uses is in dental amalgam restorations. It is possible to measure very small concentrations of this metal in the urine of exposed subjects by the cold vapor atomic absorption technique. The present work features the validation as an essential tool to confirm the suitability of the analytical method chosen to accomplish such determination. An initial analysis will be carried out in order to evaluate the environmental and occupational levels of exposure to mercury in 39 members of the auxiliary dental staff at public consulting rooms in the city of Araguaína (TO)

Determinação de plastificantes em água potável utilizando cromatografia gasosa e espectrometria de massas

This study investigated the levels of plasticizer endocrine disruptors (diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and bisphenol A) in drinking water at Paraíba do Sul River region and release of these compounds from bottled water. An analytical method employing solid phase extraction and GC/MS was optimized and validated. The results showed that the method is selective, linear (r² > 0.99), precise (RSD <12%), accurate (recoveries between 62 and 105%), sensitive and robust. Applying the method, the presence of all studied pollutants in drinking water was observed for the three sampled plasticizers. These plasticizers were not found in mineral bottled water, before or after storage

Aquatic community protection on treated effluent disposal from waste stabilization ponds on São Lourenço river in São Lourenço da Serra from Vale da Ribeira in the State of São Paulo

O tratamento de esgotos de pequenas cidades por lagoas de estabilização é uma maneira simples, eficiente e de baixo custo. Os esgotos são uma fonte de contaminação das águas e solos e, conseqüentemente, contribuem para a transmissão de doenças, além de serem uma ameaça à preservação do meio ambiente. Surge a necessidade de investigar as condições dos efluentes lançados nos cursos d´água. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo realizar uma investigação da qualidade das águas residuárias tratadas por lagoas de estabilização de uma estação de tratamento de esgoto localizadas no município de São Lourenço da Serra no Vale da Ribeira no Estado de São Paulo e verificar os riscos sanitários e a comunidade aquática no Rio São Lourenço da Serra. Foram realizadas amostragens para avaliar o conjunto de lagoas anaeróbia e facultativa da estação de tratamento de esgoto do Município de São Lourenço da Serra. Os parâmetros utilizados foram pH, temperatura do ar e da água, condições climáticas, demanda bioquímica de oxigênio e nitrogênio amoniacal, bactérias termotolerantes, pigmentos fotossintéticos e comunidade zooplanctônica. Verificou-se que s sistemas de lagoa anaeróbia e facultativa foram eficientes na produção de efluente e apresentou alguns valores de acordo com a Resolução Conama nº 357, que estabelecem os valores limites para lançamento em corpos d´água. O rio São Lourenço está localizado em uma área de proteção ambiental. Os dados são comparados aos limites estabelecidos na Classe 1 e 2 e demonstram processo de eutrofização, colocando em risco à biodiversidade aquática e a saúde da populaçãoThe treatment of sewer pipes of small cities using waste stabilization ponds is a simple, efficient, and low cost option. Sewer pipes are a fountain of water and ground contamination and consequently they contribute to diseases transmission, besides being a threat to the preservation of the environment. It is thus necessary to investigate the conditions of effluents going to water courses. The present work aims to carry out an investigation on the quality of residual waters treated by stabilization ponds of a sewer pipe treatment facility located in São Lourenço da Serra, Vale do Ribeira, State São Paulo and examine the sanitary risks and the local aquatic community. Samples were taken for evaluating the several anaerobic and facultative ponds of sewer pipe of the treatment facility of São Lourenço da Serra. Parameters used were pH, air and water temperature, climatic conditions, biochemical demand of oxygen and ammoniac nitrogen, thermo-tolerant bacteria, photosynthetic pigments and zooplanktonic community. We observed that the anaerobic and optional pond systems were efficient in the production of effluent and presented values in accordance with the Resolution Conama nº 357, which establish limits for waste disposal in water sources. São Lourenço River is located in an area of environmental protection, and data were compared to limits established in Class 1 and 2 and demonstrate a process of euthrophization, putting in risk aquatic biodiversity and the health of the populatio

Adsorção de zinco e cádmio em colunas de turfa

The aim of this work was to evaluate the adsorption conditions of zinc and cadmium ions from aqueous solutions using a comercially available peat from Balneário Arroio do Silva, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Adsorption studies were carried out in column experiments using radiotracers of the studied metals (65Zn and 115Cd). The pH influence and the interference of other ions, such as Na+, Ca2+, Fe3+ and Al3+on the adsorption process were investigated. The results showed that peat columns are able to retain more than 99% of metal ions in solution in a range of pH from 3,7 to 6,5. Ca2+ and Al3+ ions were the main interferent on adsorption of Zn and Cd ions in solution