O uso e os impactos da reciclagem de cromo em indústrias de curtume em Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil Usage and recycling of chromium at tanneries in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Um estudo da dinâmica de emissão de cromo foi realizado em dois curtumes representativos de Mato Grosso do Sul. Apenas cromo III foi encontrado durante a investigação. Foram realizadas extensivas análises químicas de cromo nos efluentes e corpos receptores durante seis meses e os valores obtidos foram comparados com os da legislação existente. Demonstrou-se que, em alguns casos, a concentração de cromo atinge níveis ecologicamente perigosos, pois foram encontrados valores acima do permitido para águas. O processo de reciclagem de cromo em curtumes mostrou-se como um processo para a normalização das concentrações de cromo nas diferentes etapas de produção e na emissão desse elemento.<br>A study of the dynamics of chromium emissions was carried out at two major tanneries operating in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. Chromium III was the only species found during the investigation. Extensive chemical analyses for chromium were performed at the effluents and receptive sites for six months and the results were compared with the values required by the existing official acts, showing that they are were above ecologically dangerous levels. The concentrations of chromium in waters also were found to exceed the permissible values, but with a tendency toward reduction. Recycling was found to be the important operation capable of normalizing chrome concentrations at the various steps of production and in the release of this element into the environment

Studies of removal of chromium by model constructed wetland

Chromium is a pollutant present in tannery wastewater, its removal is necessary for protection of the environment. Penisetum purpureum, Brancharia decumbens and Phragmites australis were grown hydroponically in experimental gravel beds to determine their potential for the phytoremediation of solutions containing 10 and 20 mg Cr dm-3. These concentrations, similar to tannery wastewater after initial physico-chemical treatment were used with the aim of developing an economic secondary treatment to protect the environment. All the systems achieved removal efficiencies of 97 - 99.6% within 24 hours. P. purpureum and B. decumbens removed 78.1% and 68.5% respectively within the first hour. Both P. purpureum and B. decumbens were tolerant of the concentrations of chromium applied, but P. purpureum showed the greatest potential because its faster growth and larger biomass achieved a much greater chromium removal over the whole length of time of the experiment

Synergetic Insulin Sensitizing Effect of Rimonabant and BGP-15 in Zucker-Obes Rats

Abdominal obesity is referred for as a common pathogenic root of multiple risk factors, which include insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and a pro-atherogenic and pro- inflammatory state. Irrespective of its psychiatric side effects, rimonabant through blocking cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) induces an increase in whole body insulin sensitivity. The aim of this work was to study the effect of selected doses of another insulin sensitizer compound BGP-15, and rimonabant on insulin resistance in Zucker obese rats with a promise of inducing insulin sensitization together at lower doses than would have been expected by rimonabant alone. We found that BGP- 15 potentiates the insulin sensitizing effect of rimonabant. The combination at doses, which do not induce insulin sensitization by themselves, improved insulin signaling. Furthermore our results suggest that capsaicin-induced signal may play a role in insulin sensitizing effect of both molecules. Our data might indicate that a lower dose of rimonabant in the treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes is sufficient to administer, thus a lower incidence of the unfavorable psychiatric side effects of rimonabant are to be expected