Honey produced by three stingless bee species (Melipona flavolineata, M. fasciculata and Apis mellifera) from different regions of the Amazon was analyzed by separating phenolic acids and flavonoids using the HPLC technique. Data were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis (PCA, HCA and DA). Results showed the three species of honey samples could be distinguished by phenolic composition. Antioxidant activity of the honeys was determined by studying the capacity of inhibiting radicals using DPPH assay. Honeys with higher phenolic compound contents had greater antioxidant capacity and darker color.

Montrichardia linifera (Araceae), conhecida popularmente como 'aninga', faz parte dos ecossistemas de várzea da Amazônia e da dieta natural de animais como peixe-boi, tartarugas, peixes, búfalo e gado. Com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento químico e valor nutricional da mesma, folhas e frutos de M. linifera foram coletados às margens dos rios Guamá e Maratauíra, no Estado do Pará, Brasil. Em folhas e frutos foram realizadas análises de umidade, resíduo mineral fixo (cinzas), lipídios, proteínas, fibra bruta, concentração de carboidratos e valor calórico. A composição mineral (Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn e Mn) foi obtida por espectrometria de absorção atômica de chama. Observou-se que tanto as folhas quanto os frutos da aninga, apesar de calóricos (289,75 kcal e 355,12 kcal, respectivamente), possuem baixo valor protéico (0,44% e 0,24 %, respectivamente). As concentrações de manganês obtidas (folha = 3279,46 mg kg-1e fruto = 18151,53 mg kg-1) foram consideradas tóxicas, extrapolando o limite máximo tolerável para ruminantes (1000 mg kg-1). A M. linifera, tem capacidade de absorver e bioacumular grandes quantidades de Ca, Mg e Mn presentes no solo, o que torna inadequada a sua utilização exclusiva na alimentação de quelônios, bovinos e bubalinos, havendo necessidade de mais estudos para sua aplicação como parte da ração.

The aninga (Montrichardia linifera, Araceae) is often found in the floodplain ecosystems of the Amazon and is the natural diet of animals such as manatees, turtles, fish, buffalo and cattle. Aiming to contribute to the chemical knowledge and nutritional value of this plant, leaves and fruits of M. linifera were collected on the banks of the Guama and Maratauira rivers, Para State, Brazil. We determined the moisture content, ash mineral composition, lipids, protein, fiber, carbohydrate and caloric value of the fruits and leaves. The mineral composition (Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn) was obtained by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The leaves and the fruits of M. linifera had caloric values of 289.75 kcal and 355.12 kcal, respectively; and a low protein concentration, 0.44% for leaves and 0.24% for fruits. Manganese concentrations were 3279.46 mg kg-1 for leaves and 18151.53 mg kg-1 for fruits. These Mn concentrations are considered toxic, as they exceed the maximum tolerable for the ruminants (1000 mg kg-1). The M. linifera has the capacity to absorb and bioaccumulate large amounts of Ca, Mg and Mn in the soil, which makes it inappropriate for exclusive use as food for turtles, cattle and buffaloes, requiring more studies for its application as part of the diet.

Behavior of mercury in soil profiles with archaeological black earth (ABE) and surroundings area (SA) from Sítio Ilha de Terra, Caxiuanã, can provide information on anthropogenic activity of the Amazonian habitat. The samples of ABE and SA soil profiles were submitted to mineralogical chemical (total and sequential) analysis. The data show that the Hg occurs mainly in goethite and kaolinite in the two soil profiles. The highest concentrations of Hg and Fe are observed in the SA profile. These results indicate that the prehistoric human occupation contributed to the decrease of the concentration of Hg in soil ABE from Caxiuanã.