Enzymatic Bioremediation of Dyes from Textile Industry Effluents

The use of synthetic dyes began in 1865 with the discoveries of researcher William Henry Perkin. Its production and use only grew due to the high demand of several industrial sectors, mainly textiles. At the same time, concerns about environmental problems arose due to the disposal of wastewater with dyes, being the textile industry’s effluents the most polluting in the world. According to their structure, dyes can be more or less harmful, whereby azo dyes are the most worrisome from an environmental point of view. Problems, such as carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, and genotoxicity, are related to dyes, as well as contamination of water, and soil, and damages to agricultural plantations. Some of the methods used in the treatment of textile industrial effluents are membrane filtration, coagulation, chemical oxidation, biodegradation, photocatalytic degradation, phytoremediation, and enzymatic remediation. Enzyme remediation is considered an efficient, ecological, and innovative technique, through which enzymes can be used in free or immobilized form. The main enzymes involved in the degradation of azo dyes are azoreductases, laccases, and peroxidases. In some cases, harmful by-products are formed during the reactions and require proper management. Thus, this chapter addresses the main aspects of enzymatic bioremediation of dyes present in effluents from the textile industry

Otimização da análise da atividade da redutase do nitrato e sua caracterização em folhas de cana-de-açúcar

O objetivo deste trabalho foi padronizar e caracterizar as condições para determinação da atividade da redutase do nitrato em tecido foliar de cana-de-açúcar, com uso do método in vivo. Amostras foliares foram coletadas de uma lavoura de primeira soqueira da cultivar IACSP 933046, com idade de seis meses. Foram estudadas diferentes condições de preparo das amostras foliares e do meio de incubação. O material que possibilitou a maior atividade da redutase do nitrato foi obtido pela amostragem de 25 discos de 1 cm de diâmetro, coletados às 13h, do centro da folha do tipo +1 sem nervura. O meio de incubação otimizado para a determinação da atividade dessa enzima em folhas de cana-de-açúcar deve ser composto por: 2,5 mL de KNO3 300 mmol L-1; 2,5 mL de tampão fosfato 285 mmol L-1 pH 7,3; 1,0 mL de Tween 20 a 0,6% (v/v); e 4,0 mL de água deionizada. A maior atividade da redutase do nitrato é obtida pela incubação das amostras por 90 min, a 32ºC, no escuro; é observada em plantas jovens formadas pela brotação da soqueira; e alcança o valor mínimo na fase de maturação das plantas

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Integração ensino-extensão: relato de experiências vivenciadas por graduandos em ciências biológicas

Learning about chemistry, especially for non-chemistry undergraduate students, becomes more attractive when approached contents are applicable to daily life. Furthermore, undergraduate engagement in extension activities enables them to put into practice the knowledge acquired from some attended subjects, complementing thus their academic degree. In this paper, we will report the experiences lived by undergraduate students in Biological Sciences disciplines, after participating in an extension meeting. This participation included designing and presenting a project developed from contents provided in a chemistry course, as a way to integrate knowledge obtained during the course with extension activities, with the aim of stimulating the learning of such contents.Para os estudantes, em especial, os de cursos de graduação que não são da área de química, aprender química, torna-se mais atraente quando os conteúdos abordados são aplicáveis ao cotidiano. Outro aspecto que estimula a aprendizagem é a participação de estudantes de graduação em atividades de extensão, que possibilitem aos mesmos colocar em prática os conhecimentos adquiridos nas disciplinas cursadas, complementando assim, a sua formação acadêmica. No presente trabalho, relatam-se as experiências vivenciadas por graduandos em Ciências Biológicas, resultantes da sua participação em evento de extensão que se deu com a elaboração e apresentação de projeto desenvolvido a partir de conteúdos contemplados pela disciplina de química, como forma de integrar os conteúdos abordados na disciplina, com atividades de extensão, estimulando o aprendizado desses conteúdos

Biochar Systems and System fit

This publication discusses how a systems perspective could help establish the conditions where biochar might be most widely adopted and map opportunity. There are clearly two distinct aspects of systems fit that need to be considered and eventually integrated: the biophysical and the socioeconomi

Otimização da análise da atividade da redutase do nitrato e sua caracterização em folhas de cana-de-açúcar

The objective of this work was to standardize and characterize the conditions for determining the nitrate reductase activity in sugarcane leaf tissue, using in vivo method. Leaf samples were collected from a first ratoon crop of the IACSP 933046 cultivar, with six months of age. Different preparation conditions of leaf samples and incubation media were studied. The material that allowed the highest nitrate reductase activity was obtained by the sampling of 25 discs of 1 cm in diameter, collected at 13h from the center of the +1 leaf type without center rib. The incubation medium optimized to determine nitrate reductase activity in sugarcane leaves must be comprised of: 2.5 mL KNO3 300 mmol L-1; 2.5 mL phosphate buffer 285 mmol L-1 pH 7.3; 1.0 mL Tween 20 0.6% (v/v); and 4.0 mL deionized water. The highest nitrate reductase activity is obtained by incubating samples for 90 min, at 32ºC, in the dark; is observed in young plants formed by stump sprouting; and reaches a minimum value at the plant maturity phase.O objetivo deste trabalho foi padronizar e caracterizar as condições para determinação da atividade da redutase do nitrato em tecido foliar de cana-de-açúcar, com uso do método in vivo. Amostras foliares foram coletadas de uma lavoura de primeira soqueira da cultivar IACSP 933046, com idade de seis meses. Foram estudadas diferentes condições de preparo das amostras foliares e do meio de incubação. O material que possibilitou a maior atividade da redutase do nitrato foi obtido pela amostragem de 25 discos de 1 cm de diâmetro, coletados às 13h, do centro da folha do tipo +1 sem nervura. O meio de incubação otimizado para a determinação da atividade dessa enzima em folhas de cana-de-açúcar deve ser composto por: 2,5 mL de KNO3 300 mmol L-1; 2,5 mL de tampão fosfato 285 mmol L-1 pH 7,3; 1,0 mL de Tween 20 a 0,6% (v/v); e 4,0 mL de água deionizada. A maior atividade da redutase do nitrato é obtida pela incubação das amostras por 90 min, a 32ºC, no escuro; é observada em plantas jovens formadas pela brotação da soqueira; e alcança o valor mínimo na fase de maturação das plantas.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Farming and soil urban occupation in the water quality of Jaboticabal and Cerradinho streams

ABSTRACT Since the end of the twentieth century, 100% of the urban sewage from the city of Jaboticabal has been collected by interceptors and routed to a treatment plant. Between 1999 and 2000, studies on the effect of this environmental care showed that it did not efficiently clean up the water from the two streams that run through the city and flow into an agricultural area. This paper focuses on assessing the influence of soil use on the water quality of surface waters from these two streams. The study was conducted 15 years after the implementation of sewage interceptors. The sampling dates were bimonthly at eight points (P1 to P8) in the Cerradinho and Jaboticabal streams, in Jaboticabal (São Paulo State, Brazil). P1 was located at the source of the Jaboticabal stream, P2 was in a farming area, P3, P4 and P5 were in an urban area, and P6, P7 and P8 were in a farming area. The physical and chemical variables of the water were assessed. We compared the ability of microorganisms to metabolize different sources of carbon using the EcoPlate (Biolog). The total phosphorus (TP) concentration exceeded the limit set by the Brazilian legislation as well as values found in previous studies, which was also observed for the chemical oxygen demand. However, the bacterial metabolic profile had no association with urban or farming practices. The results of the analysis indicated the possibility of clandestine discharge of wastewater in the streams studied and the influence of the agricultural soil

Freshwater quality of a stream in agricultural area where organic compost from animal and vegetable wastes is used

ABSTRACT Organic compost from biomass residues constitutes a viable alternative for partial or total replacement of mineral fertilizers for growing vegetables. This study evaluated the effects of compost on the water quality of a stream used mainly for irrigation of agricultural crops cultivated in nearby soil that has been treated with organic compost produced by carcasses, animal and vegetable waste for the last ten years. We sampled water biannually for two years, 2013 and 2014, from five locations along the stream. Physical variables and some chemical variables were analyzed. We also analyzed the total number of coliforms (Escherichia coli). Bacterial populations were compared by carbon substrate consumption. Total phosphorus contents in the samples from 2014 exceeded 0.1 mg L-1. The concentrations of other chemical species analyzed and the results for the physical variables were in accordance with the expected values compared with national and international water quality standards. The environment showed differential carbon source consumption and a high diversity of microorganisms, but our results did not show any evidence that the applied compost is changing the microbial population or its metabolic activity. This study shows that the use of the organic compost in agricultural areas seen does not negatively influence the quality of surface water in the study area. These results are important because the process of composting animal and vegetable waste and the use of compost obtained can be an alternative sustainable for adequate destination of these wastes