Presence and characterization of microplastics in fish of commercial importance from the Biobío region in central Chile.

In this study we have identified and characterized microplastic particles (MPs) found in six fish species of commercial importance in central Chile. The fish species belong to different trophic levels and were obtained from the oceanic and coastal habitats. To analyze MPs, the fish gastrointestinal content was extracted, analyzed and characterized using a microscopy equipped with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The MPs found in fish samples were mainly constituted by red microfibers (70-100%) with sizes ranging between 176 and 2842 µm. Polyester, polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were identified as the prevalent polymers detected. The coastal species showed the presence of microfibers with a higher size and abundance (71%) compared to oceanic species (29%), suggesting there is a greater exposure risk. These findings are consistent with results found in other investigations worldwide. However, further research is still needed to accurately establish the potential exposure risk for the public consuming these fish and the impact of MPs in the Chilean fishery activities.

Occurrence of hydrophobic organic pollutants (BFRs and UV-filters) in sediments from South America.

In the present study the occurrence of emerging hydrophobic organic pollutants in sediment samples from South America (Chile and Colombia) was investigated for the first time. Nineteen Chilean and thirteen Colombian sediment samples were analyzed in order to determine their content of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) (including PBDEs and emerging BFRs) as well as UV filters (UV-F). Samples were collected from neighboring aquatic ecosystems highly urbanized and industrialized in Colombia (Magdalena River area) and Chile (Biobio region). Different analytical procedures were applied depending on the selected analytes, based on chromatographic and mass spectrometric methodologies (GC-MS and LC-MS-MS). In general, concentration levels of both BFRs (up to 2.43 and 143ngg(-1) dw of PBDEs in Chile and Colombia, respectively) and UV-F (nd-2.96 and nd-54.4ngg(-1) dw in Chile and Colombia, respectively) were in the low range of published data, and the contribution of BFRs was higher than that of UV-F for almost all the sampled sediments.

Remediation technologies for organochlorine-contaminated sites in developing countries.

Despite its importance in human life, until recently the relationship between soils and human health has been undervalued, especially in least developed countries. Currently, a holistic approach has been incorporated to identify best practices in soil science, defining it as "the task of all people concerned with the soil to direct their interest, not just towards the physical, chemical, and biological aspects, but also to those environmental, economic, social, legal, and technical aspects that affect soil use" (Abrahams 2002; Fent 2003). Considering this definition, the European Union (EU) as well as most developed countries have recognized organochlorine-contaminated sites as potential threats to the human health, threats that take different forms, such as their influence on water (e.g., drinking water resources), soil, and air as well as their interrelationships, which can directly affect human health (EC 2002; EP 2002; Bezama et al. 2004). Moreover, economic expansion and industrial growth are linked with growing lack of "greenfields" (a term that defines all areas without previous history of development): the supply of new building sites is limited and must contend with other competing uses, such as housing, recreation, nature, traffic, or agriculture (De Sousa 2001; Tedd et al. 2001). Thus, cleaning and reusing contaminated sites can be a meaningful alternative to address this issue, because most contaminated sites are located in metropolitan centres and are, therefore, prime candidates for urban development (Lorber et al. 2004).

Responsabilidad parlamentaria por el ejercicio de funciones

La presente monografía ofrece en una versión resumida las distintas esferas de la responsabilidad de los congresistas, matizando en cada comentario las circunstancias, las condiciones y los efectos de estas conductas. La legislación comparada comparada constituye una importante fuente de saber en esta temática a la que se acude en busca de enriquecer nuestros conocimientos y el contenido de la presente monografía...

Historia geografía

Conceptos generales; América; Europa; Asia; Africa; Oceanía y Antártida; Edad media; El Islam; Imperio Carolingio; Sacro imperio romano; Nacimientos de las naciones europeas; La reconquista española; Edad moderna; Reforma y contrareforma; Los monarcas absolutistas; Enciclopedismo y barroco

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in mussels along the Chilean coast.

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Chile signed the Stockholm Convention, which establishes measures to reduce or eliminate Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) release into the environment, including the prohibition of their use and reduction of secondary products release, as well as management related with waste treatment. Among POPs, PCBs are a family of 209 compounds that differ in chlorine level and position. These substances present a wide variability in their physicochemical properties such as vapor pressure, water solubility and partition coefficients that determine their behavior and mobility within the different environmental compartments. In Chile, as in other countries, the use of these compounds were and continue to occur in diverse industrial applications such as dielectric fluid in transformers and condensers, with a use in Chile of approximately 550,000 L. A sampling of bivalves was performed during the years 2000-2002 in order to obtain information on the spatial distribution of the PCB levels for the length of the long Chilean coast (18 degrees-54 degrees South latitude, 4,200 km), contributing in this way to a better understanding of the PCB trend and eventual fractionation along latitudinal gradients in Chile, using as the bivalve Perumytilus purpuratus ('Chorito Maico') bioindicator. METHODS: The marine bivalves Perumytilus purpuratus were collected in 16 localities in northern and southern Chile. All samples were lyophilized, and PCBs (51 congeners) were extracted in a Soxhlet system (24 h) with n-hexane. Samples were cleaned in florisil and analyzed by GC-ECD. Blanks, certified reference materials and standards were processed along with the samples. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results obtained for P. purpuratus indicate a congeneric distribution profile associated to a latitudinal gradient, and the statistical analysis of the congeneric composition of the PCBs indicated five groups in relation to the molecular weight (number of chlorines), where the lighter congeners were observed in areas corresponding to high latitudes with total PCB values of 298 ng/g dry weight. CONCLUSION: P. purpuratus turns out to be a good bioindicator of PCB levels in the coastal areas of Chile due to its wide distribution. The highest concentrations and the more volatile congeners were found in southern Chile, which could be the result of processes of long-range transport or illegal discharge occurring in such remote areas. These results confirm previous data from the International Mussel Watch project ten years ago. RECOMMENDATION AND OUTLOOK: Future studies are needed to confirm our findings utilizing another environmental matrix such as soil/sediments and air samples.

EROD activity and biliary fluorescence in Schroederichthys chilensis (Guichenot 1848): biomarkers of PAH exposure in coastal environments of the South Pacific Ocean.

Schroederichthys chilensis is a common shark that lives in Chilean coastal environments. In this work, the relationship between liver 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase dealkylation (EROD) activity and Fluorescent Aromatic Compounds (FAC) in bile of S. chilensis sampled in three bays with different degrees of pollution were performed including a reference area. Sixty individuals were collected, 20 for each site; (10 males and 10 females per site) livers and bile samples were obtained and immediately frozen. EROD activity and FAC were measured according to three standard methods. EROD activity and FAC were higher in polluted areas than in the reference area. Synchronous Fluorescence Spectra of the bile from the fish collected at the most polluted area showed a peak at 347nm representing a metabolite corresponding to 1-hydroxypyrene. The low EROD activity in the reference area is likely related to the low level of PAH in sediments. We propose that this species is a good indicator of exposure to FACs, since it presents a series of characteristics that make it suitable for monitoring PAH exposure in coastal zones.

Determinación del USG y obesidad, su correlación con la tensión arterial en un grupo de escolares / USG and obesity determination, blood presure correlation in the students community

La relación entre la sal (NaCl) y la tensión arterial (TA), se considera que está ligada a la susceptibilidad que se pueda tener al sodio (Na), la cual podría tener un componente genético fundamental (cotransporte de Na), como también un factor nutricional adquirido. Este último factor, estaría dado por los hábitos alimenticios conformados en el seno familiar. La costumbre de salar los alimentos es uno de ellos. Los niños adquieren el gusto por la sal paulatinamente, ya sea de acuerdo a la cantidad que ingieren diariamente, o al tiempo que han estado consumiéndola. Por otra parte, se sabe que la TA elevada anormalmente (hipertensión), tiene sus orígenes en la infancia y que uno de los hechos condicionantes de ello puede ser la ingesta de sal diaria. Medir el consumo de sal es muy difícil. Por ello se ha usado el método del umbral de sal al gusto (USG), para determinar cuán habituada está una persona a consumir sal. En base a esto, se intentó establecer una posible correlación entre el USG y la TA, en un grupo de 120 niños escolares entre 6 y 13 años, varones y hembras. Para determinar el USG se prepararon soluciones salinas a las concentraciones de 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, y 640 mgs.%. Cada niño probó 7 cc de cada solución, comenzando por la más baja. El USG era la solución de concentración más baja que pudiera ser identificada como salada. A todos los niños se les tomó la TA sentados, registrándose las fases I, IV y V de los ruidos de Korotkoff. También se pesaron y midieron. Los resultados obtenidos fueron: a) Los niños de menor edad mostraron umbrales más bajos que los de mayor edad. b) La TA sistólica correlacionó ..