A review of plastic debris in the South American Atlantic Ocean coast - Distribution, characteristics, policies and legal aspects.

The presence of plastics in the oceans has already become a pervasive phenomenon. Marine pollution by plastics surpasses the status of an emerging threat to become a well-established environmental problem, boosting research on this topic. However, despite many studies on the main seas and oceans, it is necessary to compile information on the South American Atlantic Ocean Coast to identify the lack of research and expand knowledge on marine plastic pollution in this region. Accordingly, this paper conducted an in-depth review of monitoring methods, sampling, and identification of macroplastics and microplastics (MPs) in water, sediments, and biota, including information on legal requirements from different countries as well as non-governmental initiatives. Brazil was the country with the highest number of published papers, followed by Argentina. MPs accounted for 75 % of the papers selected, with blue microfibers being the most common morphology, whereas PE and PP were the most abundant polymers. Also, a lack of standardization in the methodologies used was identified; however, the sites with the highest concentrations of MPs were the Bahía Blanca Estuary (Argentina), Guanabara Bay (Brazil), and Todos os Santos Bay (Brazil), regardless of the method applied. Regarding legislation, Uruguay and Argentina have the most advanced policies in the region against marine plastic pollution due to their emphasis on the life cycle and the national ban on certain single-use plastics. Therefore, considering its content, this expert review can be useful to assist researchers dealing with plastic pollution along the South American Atlantic Ocean Coast.

Optimising statistical models to predict faecal pollution in coastal areas based on geographic and meteorological parameters.

This article describes a methodology for optimising predictive models for concentrations of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) in coastal areas based on geographic and meteorological characteristics of upstream catchments. Concentrations of FIOs in mussels and water sampled from 50 sites in the south of Brazil from 2012 to 2013 were used to develop models to separately predict the spatial and temporal variations of FIOs. The geographical parameters used in predictive models for the spatial variation of FIOs were human population, urban area, percentage of impervious cover and total catchment area. The R2 of models representing catchments located within 3.1 km from the monitoring points was up to 150% higher than that for the nearest catchment. The temporal variation of FIOs was modelled considering the combined effect of meteorological parameters and different time windows. The explained variance in models based on rainfall and solar radiation increased up to 155% and 160%, respectively.

Compliance of brown mussel (Perna perna) production areas in the South of Brazil with the bacteriological criteria of the shellfish hygiene systems in the European Union and United States of America: assessing the impacts on consumer safety.

Levels of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) monitored in surface water and brown mussels collected at 28 production areas in Brazil from August 2012 to October 2013 were used to assess compliance with the bacteriological standards of the shellfish hygiene classification systems used in the European Union (EU) and USA. This classification determines the level of post-harvesting purification needed to reduce the risk of illness in consumers. The results indicate that 36% of production areas would be class A under the EU system and 75% would be 'Approved' under the US system. Mathematical models showed that a 90th percentile of FIO levels in water of 43 MPN (most probable number) 100 mL-1 (standard for 'Approved' areas under the US system) would correspond to an 80th percentile of FIO levels in mussels of 572 MPN 100 g-1. This concentration is more than double that in the class A standard in the EU system. These results have important implications for public health since no post-harvesting purification is required for any of these classification categories. Areas compliant with the US 'Restricted' and EU class B standards, however, provide similar levels of consumer safety.

Desenvolvimento e avaliação de sistema de leito fixo reator misto radial seguido de reator anóxico horizontal, para remoção de matéria orgânica e de nitrogênio de esgoto sanitário / Immobilized bed system development and evaluation radial mixed reactor followed by horizontal-flow anoxic reactor for organic matter and nitrogen reduction in domestic wastewater

Os sistemas combinados anaeróbio/aeróbio, para tratamento de água residuária, têm sido considerados alternativas viáveis do ponto de vista técnico-econômico em relação aos sistemas tradicionais. Este trabalho consiste no desenvolvimento de nova configuração para um sistema, com dois reatores operados seqüencialmente, composto por Reator Misto Radial de Leito Fixo para tratamento e nitrificação de esgoto sanitário e Reator Anóxico Horizontal de Leito Fixo para desnitrificação da água residuária. O RMRLF mostrou ser uma configuração promissora, promoveu a remoção de matéria orgânica, favoreceu a transferência de oxigênio dissolvido devido à distribuição das espumas em seções circuncêntricas, obteve boa nitrificação e possibilitou a desnitrificação simultânea com a nitrificação. O RAHLFa obteve baixa eficiência no processo de desnitrificação. O bom desempenho do sistema é decorrente, principalmente, da operação do RMRLF e apresentou eficiências de 88 por cento, 86 por cento e 95 por cento na remoção de matéria orgânica em termos de demanda química de oxigênio, retenção de sólidos suspensos voláteis e nitrificação, respectivamente. O efluente final do sistema atingiu valores de demanda química de oxigênio, sólidos suspensos voláteis, nitrito e nitrato de 41 mg.l-1, 8 mg.l-1, 0,3 mg.l-1 e 16,7 mg.l-1, respectivamente. No efluente final não foi detectada a presença de nitrogênio amoniacal.