Assessing over decadal biomass burning influence on particulate matter composition in subequatorial Amazon: literature review, remote sensing, chemical speciation and machine learning application

Abstract A study on aerosols in the Brazilian subequatorial Amazon region, Tangará da Serra (TS) and Alta Floresta (AF) was conducted and compared to findings in an additional site with background characteristics (Manaus, AM). TS and AF counties suffer from intense biomass burning periods in the dry season, and it accounts for high levels of particles in the atmosphere. Chemical characterization of fine and coarse particulate matter (PM) was performed to quantify water-soluble ions (WSI) and black carbon (BC). The importance of explanatory variables was assessed using three machine learning techniques. Average concentrations of PM in AF and TS were similar (PM2.0, 17±10 µg m-3 (AF) and 16±11 µg m-3 (TS) and PM10-2.0, 13±5 µg m-3 (AF) and 11±7 µg m-3 (TS)), but higher than the background site. BC and SO4 2- were the prevalent components as they represented 27%–68% of particulates chemical composition. The combination of the machine learning techniques provided a further understanding of the pathways for PM concentration variability, and the results highlighted the influence of biomass burning for key sample groups and periods. PM2.0, BC, and most WSI presented higher concentrations in the dry season, providing further support for the influence of biomass burning

Micronucleus frequency in children exposed to biomass burning in the Brazilian Legal Amazon region: a control case study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Amazon represents an area of 61% of Brazilian territory and is undergoing major changes resulting from disorderly economic development, especially the advance of agribusiness. Composition of the atmosphere is controlled by several natural and anthropogenic processes, and emission from biomass burning is one with the major impact on human health. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotoxic potential of air pollutants generated by biomass burning through micronucleus assay in exfoliated buccal cells of schoolchildren in the Brazilian Amazon region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted during the dry seasons in two regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The assay was carried out on buccal epithelial cells of 574 schoolchildren between 6-16 years old.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results show a significant difference between micronucleus frequencies in children exposed to biomass burning compared to those in a control area.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study demonstrated that in situ biomonitoring using a sensitive and low cost assay (buccal micronucleus assay) may be an important tool for monitoring air quality in remote regions. It is difficult to attribute the increase in micronuclei frequency observed in our study to any specific toxic element integrated in the particulate matters. However, the contribution of the present study lies in the evidence that increased exposure to fine particulate matter generates an increased micronuclei frequency in oral epithelial cells of schoolchildren.</p

Prevalência de hipertensão arterial em comunidades ribeirinhas do Rio Madeira, Amazônia Ocidental Brasileira

O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar a prevalência de hipertensão em adultos residentes nas comunidades ribeirinhas do rio Madeira, previamente à operação da Usina Hidrelétrica Santo Antônio. Estudo transversal da prevalência de hipertensão arterial realizado com 841 adultos. Informações sobre condições sociodemográficas, morbidade referida, hábitos de vida, consumo de peixe e dados antropométricos foram avaliados. O método de regressão logística foi utilizado para estimar a odds ratio e seus respectivos intervalos de confiança. Entre os ribeirinhos, 26% (IC95%: 23%29%) dos adultos apresentaram hipertensão: 29% entre os homens (IC95%: 24%-33%) e 23% entre as mulheres (IC95%: 19%-27%). Nos homens, os fatores associados à hipertensão foram idade, IMC, glicemia e local de residência. Entre as mulheres, os fatores preditivos foram idade, triglicerídeos e glicemia. Os resultados deste estudo podem contribuir com a formulação de estratégias de monitoramento para prevenção de eventos cardiovasculares por parte dos órgãos de saúde estadual e municipal

Genotoxic potential generated by biomass burning in the Brazilian Legal Amazon by Tradescantia micronucleus bioassay: a toxicity assessment study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Brazilian Amazon has suffered impacts from non-sustainable economic development, especially owing to the expansion of agricultural commodities into forest areas. The Tangará da Serra region, located in the southern of the Legal Amazon, is characterized by non-mechanized sugar cane production. In addition, it lies on the dispersion path of the pollution plume generated by biomass burning. The aim of this study was to assess the genotoxic potential of the atmosphere in the Tangará da Serra region, using <it>Tradescantia pallida </it>as <it>in situ </it>bioindicator.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted during the dry and rainy seasons, where the plants were exposed to two types of exposure, active and passive.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed that in all the sampling seasons, irrespective of exposure type, there was an increase in micronucleus frequency, compared to control and that it was statistically significant in the dry season. A strong and significant relationship was also observed between the increase in micronucleus incidence and the rise in fine particulate matter, and hospital morbidity from respiratory diseases in children.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on the results, we demonstrated that pollutants generated by biomass burning in the Brazilian Amazon can induce genetic damage in test plants that was more prominent during dry season, and correlated with the level of particulates and elevated respiratory morbidity.</p

Estimación de la concentración media diaria de material particulado fino en la región del Complejo Industrial y Portuario de Pecém, Ceará, Brasil

A exposição ao material particulado fino (MP2,5) está associada a inúmeros desfechos à saúde. Desta forma, monitoramento da concentração ambiental do MP2,5 é importante, especialmente em áreas amplamente industrializadas, pois abrigam potenciais emissores do MP2,5 e de substâncias com potencial de aumentar a toxicidade de partículas já suspensas. O objetivo desta pesquisa é estimar a concentração diária do MP2,5 em três áreas de influência do Complexo Industrial e Portuário do Pecém (CIPP), Ceará, Brasil. Foi aplicado um modelo de regressão não linear para a estimativa do MP2,5, por meio de dados de profundidade óptica monitorados por satélite. As estimativas foram realizadas em três áreas de influência (Ai) do CIPP (São Gonçalo do Amarante – Ai I, Paracuru e Paraipaba – Ai II e Caucaia – Ai III, no período de 2006 a 2017. As médias anuais das concentrações estimadas foram inferiores ao estabelecido pela legislação nacional em todas as Ai (8µg m-3). Em todas as Ai, os meses referentes ao período de seca (setembro a fevereiro) apresentaram as maiores concentrações e uma predominância de ventos leste para oeste. Os meses que compreendem o período de chuva (março a agosto) apresentaram as menores concentrações e ventos menos definidos. As condições meteorológicas podem exercer um papel importante nos processos de remoção, dispersão ou manutenção das concentrações do material particulado na região. Mesmo com baixas concentrações estimadas, é importante avaliar a constituição das partículas finas dessa região, bem como sua possível associação a efeitos adversos à saúde da população local.Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with numerous negative health outcomes. Thus, monitoring the environmental concentration of PM2.5 is important, especially in heavily industrialized areas, since they harbor potential emitters of PM2.5 and substances with the potential to increase the toxicity of already suspended particles. This study aims to estimate daily concentrations of PM2.5 in three areas under the influence of the Industrial and Port Complex of Pecém (CIPP), Ceará State, Brazil. A nonlinear regression model was applied to estimate PM2.5, using satellitemonitored optical depth data. Estimates were performed in three areas of influence (Ai) of the CIPP (São Gonçalo do Amarante – AiI, Paracuru and Paraipaba – AiII, and Caucaia – AiIII), from 2006 to 2017. Estimated mean annual concentrations were lower than established by Brazil’s national legislation in all three Ai (8µg m-³). In all the Ai, the months of the dry season (September to February) showed the highest concentrations and a predominance of east winds, while the months of the rainy season (March to August) showed the lowest concentrations and less defined winds Weather conditions can play an important role in the removal, dispersal, or maintenance of concentrations of particulate matter in the region. Even at low estimated concentrations, it is important to assess the composition of fine participles in this region and their possible association with adverse health outcomes in the local population.La exposición al material particulado fino (MP2,5) está asociada a innumerables problemas de salud. Por ello, la supervisión de la concentración ambiental del MP2,5 es importante, especialmente en áreas ampliamente industrializadas, puesto que albergan potenciales emisores de MP2,5 y de sustancias con potencial de aumentar la toxicidad de partículas ya suspendidas. El objetivo de esta investigación es estimar la concentración diaria del MP2,5 en tres áreas de influencia del Complejo Industrial y Portuario de Pecém (CIPP), Ceará, Brasil. Se aplicó un modelo de regresión no lineal para la estimación del MP2,5, mediante datos de profundidad óptica supervisados por satélite. Las estimaciones fueron realizadas en tres áreas de influencia (Ai) del CIPP (São Gonçalo do Amarante – Ai I, Paracuru y Paraipaba – Ai II y Caucaia – Ai III en el período de 2006 a 2017. Las medias anuales de las concentraciones estimadas fueron inferiores a lo establecido por la legislación nacional en todas las Ai (8µg m-³). En todas las Ai, los meses referentes al período de sequía (de setiembre a febrero) presentaron las mayores concentraciones y una predominancia de vientos este a oeste, los meses que comprenden el período de lluvia (marzo a agosto) presentaron las menores concentraciones y vientos menos definidos. Las condiciones meteorológicas pueden ejercer un papel importante en los procesos de eliminación, dispersión o mantenimiento de las concentraciones del material particulado en la región. Incluso con bajas concentraciones estimadas es importante que se evalúe la constitución de las partículas finas de esta región, así como su posible asociación con efectos adversos para la salud de la población local