Use of Sugar Cane Bagasse as Solid Extraction Phase Sorbent to Analyze Hormones from Industrial Effluent.

Sugar cane bagasse (SCB) is an abundant byproduct of sugar and bioethanol mills. It has been effectively used as a low-cost biosorbent to remove hazardous chemical compounds from a variety of effluent sources. Herein, we report on the preparation of SCB and its use as a solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbent to retain synthetic hormones (ethinylestradiol, drospirenone, and levonorgestrel) from industrial pharmaceutical plant effluent samples prior to LC-MS/MS quantitative analysis. We evaluated the reproducibility and recoveries and accuracy data analyses were compared with that of commercial SPE (cSPE) cartridges. The results from the evaluated parameters indicated that the SCB bed had an efficiency of >99%, comparable to that of cSPE cartridges, demonstrating the applicability and feasibility of this material as an effective and green chemistry alternative, as well as its biosorbent potential to remove hormones from industrial pharmaceutical effluent.

Observations of particulate matter, NO2, SO2, O3, H2S and selected VOCs at a semi-urban environment in the Amazon region.

This research aims to assess air quality in a transitional location between city and forest in the Amazon region. Located downwind of the Manaus metropolitan region, this study is part of the large-scale experiment GoAmazon2014/5. Based on their pollutant potential, inhalable particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and meta-, orto-, para-xylene (BTEX) were selected for analysis. Sampling took place during the wet season (March-April 2014) and dry season (August-October 2014). The number of forest fires in the surroundings was higher during the dry wet season. Results show significant increase during the dry season in mass concentration (wet: <0.01-10 µg m-3; dry: 9.8-69 µg m-3), NH4+ soluble content (wet: 13-125 µg m-3; dry: 86-323 µg m-3) and K+ soluble content (wet: 11-168 µg m-3; dry 60-356 µg m-3) of the PM2.5, and O3 levels (wet: 1.4-14 µg m-3; dry: 1.0-40 µg m-3), indicating influence of biomass burning emissions. BTEX concentrations were low in both periods, but also increased during the dry season. A weak correlation in the time series of the organic and inorganic gaseous pollutants indicates a combination of different sources in both seasons and NO2 results suggest a spatial heterogeneity in gaseous pollutants levels beyond initial expectations.

Determination of anthropogenic and biogenic compounds on atmospheric aerosol collected in urban, biomass burning and forest areas in São Paulo, Brazil.

This study was conducted at three sites of different characteristics in São Paulo State: São Paulo (SPA), Piracicaba (PRB) and Mata Atlântica Forest (MAT). PM(10), n-alkanes, pristane and phytane, PAHs, water-soluble ions and biomass burning tracers like levoglucosan and retene, were determined in quartz fiber filters. Samplings occurred on May 8th to August 8th, 2007 at the MAT site; on August 15th to 29th in 2007 and November 10th to 29th in 2008 at the PRB site and, March 13th to April 4th in 2007 and August 7th to 29th in 2008 at the SPA site. Aliphatic compounds emitted biogenically were less abundant at the urban sites than at the forest site, and its distribution showed the influence of tropical vascular plants. Air mass transport from biomass burning regions is likely to impact the sites with specific molecular markers. The concentrations of all species were variable and dependent of seasonal changes. In the most dry and polluted seasons, n-alkane and cation total concentrations were similar between the megacity and the biomass burning site. PAHs and inorganic ion abundances were higher at São Paulo than Piracicaba, yet, the site influenced by biomass burning seems to be the most impacted by the organic anion abundance in the atmosphere. Pristane and phytane confirm the contamination by petroleum residues at urban sites; at the MAT site, biological activity and long range transport of pollutants might influence the levels of pristane.