Neste trabalho, o enfoque foi a integração dos processos de compostagem e vermicompostagem para otimizar a reciclagem de resíduos sólidos. Cada tratamento recebeu um volume total de 40 cm3 de resíduos. Os experimentos foram realizados em duas etapas: a primeira constituiu-se na pré-compostagem de resíduos sólidos vegetais (RV), com adição de esterco ou serragem de madeira. A irrigação e o revestimento das leiras nessa etapa foram realizados depois de 7, 14, 21 e 28 dias do início, e a temperatura foi monitorada. Na segunda etapa foram testados os tratamentos obtidos da primeira etapa com e sem minhocas. Os experimentos foram colocados em caixas de compensado de 60 cm3 de dimensão, e os tratamentos sem minhocas foram dispostos em leiras e revolvidos a cada 7 dias. Nos tratamentos com minhocas foram adicionadas de 200 a 400 minhocas adultas da espécie Eisenia foetida. O processo foi acompanhado por meio de análises de C/N, variação de temperatura, grau de umidade, pH, matéria orgânica (MO) total, carbono total, teor de ácidos húmicos, nitrogênio total, fósforo e potássio. Na primeira etapa do processo, que constitui a termoestabilização dos resíduos nos diferentes tratamentos, a temperatura máxima atingida foi de 35, 53 e 51°C no 14° dia, respectivamente nos tratamentos RV, resíduos vegetais+serragem de madeira (RVM) e resíduos vegetais+esterco (RVE). Na segunda etapa, após 56 dias, a massa em degradação atingiu a temperatura ambiente, sendo, então, deixada para maturar por 98 dias. O pH final ficou na faixa de 6,74 a 8,90. A relação C/N inicial dos tratamentos RVE e RVM foi 34/1 e 184/1, e chegou a 17/1 e 34/1 após 98 dias utilizando a vermicompostagem.

In this work, the focus was for the integration of composting and vermicomposting processes to optimize the recycling of solid wastes. Each treatment received a total volume of 40 cm3 of waste. The experiments were conducted in two stages: the first consisted in pre-composting solid waste vegetables with addition of manure or sawdust. The irrigation and coating of windrows at this stage were conducted after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days from the beginning, and the temperature was monitored. In the second stage, the treatments obtained from the first stage were tested with and without earthworms. The experiments were placed in wooden boxes of 60 cm³ in size, and the treatments without earthworms were placed in windrows and scrambled every 7 days. In the treatments with earthworms were added 200-400 adult worms, Eisenia foetida. During the process the C/N ratio, temperature variation, moisture content, pH, total organic matter, total carbon, humic acid content, total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were evaluated. In the first stage of the process, which is the thermal stabilization of residues in the different treatments, the maximum temperature reached 35, 53 and 51°C on the 14th day, respectively in RV, RVM e RVE treatments. In the second stage, after 56 days, the ambient temperature was reached; the organic wastes were then laid to reach full maturity for 98 more days. The final pH was in the range from 6.74 to 8.90. The C/N ratio of the RVE treatment and the RVM treatment was initially around 34/1 and 184/1 and after 98 days they was around 17/1 and 34/1 using the vermicomposting.

A method using ultrasonication extraction for the determination of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), selected by the USEPA and NIOSH as "consent decree" priority pollutants, in soil by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was studied. Separation and detection were completed in 20 min with a C18 columm, acetonitrile-water gradient elution and ultraviolet absorption and fluorescence detections. The detection limits, for a 10 µL of solution injection, were less than 9,917 ng/g in UV detection and less than 1,866 ng/g in fluorescence detection. Several organic solvents were tested for extraction of the 17 PAHs from soils. Acetone was the best solvent among the three solvents tested, and the order of the extraction efficiencies was: acetone>methanol>acetonitrile. Ultrasonication using acetone as solvent extraction was used to evaluate the biodegradation of those compounds in contaminated soil during a vermicomposting process.

In terms of soil fertility, zinc is a micronutrient that is very important in the culture of soy, maize, rice and coffee, because it is a structural and functional component of a great number of enzymes. Therefore, diverse methods have been used to determine zinc in soil. In this work we use colorimetry as a methods of zinc determination in soil using two methodologies of sample digesting, H2SO4/H2O2 and HNO3/H2O2. In order to compare the results, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used. Results show that colorimetric methods can be used due to good sensitivity and reproducibility, since the zinc calibration curve showed good linearity. Comparing colorimetric methods with AAS we observed that the results were equivalent, as proven by the statistical values of the F and t of Student tests. Furthermore, both methods of soil digesting can be used, leading to a flexible methodology of low-cost for routine zinc analyses in soil.

The subsoil of the Vale do Ribeira was the focus of mining industries for the exploration of lead, mainly inside the park - PETAR. Despite the fact that the exploration has ended, the environmental effects of those activities are still present, due to great amounts of heavy metals that are leached. Concentrations of pseudo-total and bioavailable metals were determined in sediment samples of the Betari River, using atomic absorption spectrometry. The results demonstrated that the sediments are contaminated by Pb, Zn and Cu. The findings can contribute to an efficient and environmentally and economically adequate management of the park, for the conservation and the protection of the area.

Since 1992, the carbon paste electrodes modified with humic acids have been used for studying the behavior of metals in aqueous solutions. Many parameters influence the performance of the electrodes, such as the humic acid ratio, the nature of the humic acid, the accumulation time, the pH, the scan rate, and the preparation of the electrodes itself. There are various methos of preparing the electrodes. The goal of this paper is to review some of them. The advantages of using electrodes modified with humic acids as electrochemical sensors for evaluating metals in aqueous solution are stressed.

The aim of this study was the determination of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant using spectroscopic and conductimetric determinations and to compare these methodologies in the determination of the CMC of different humic acids (HA). The CMC obtained by conductimetric determination was satisfactory. By spectroscopic determination two values of the CMC were obtained for HA. These values can be to due the intra and intermolecular interactions in the HA structure.

Electroflotation (EF) with aluminum electrodes was applied in the treatment of Brazilian industrial coconut wastewater. The results show that EF with polarity inversion is a very good treatment when compared to others. The removal of pollutants in the wastewater after EF with polarity inversion was 96.3% of oils and grease, 99% of color and 66% of total organic carbon. Also, metal concentrations, turbidity and total solids were reduced.

The great utilization of synthetic and persistent xenobiotic cumulative compounds is the main causes of the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems. The one of objective of this work was the determination of the organochlorine levels in the Piracicaba river basin, situated at the center of São Paulo state. Four PCBs congeners, PCP and HCB were determined by GC-ECD in two different matrices: water and sediments. The pattern of the compound distribution indicated a dominance of PCP, HCB and PCB-200. The results indicated contamination in the sampling points located in Campinas, Piracicaba, Santa Bárbara d'Oeste and Sumaré cities.

A novel and unique in a brazilian university experience for rigorous handling of chemical residues of research and teaching is described. The activities since 1998 of a laboratory for the adequate treatment and recovery of chemicals at the São Carlos Campus of the University of São Paulo are summarized. The necessity of environment conscience future professional is enhanced.

Pesticide residues are determined by thin layer chromatography (TLC) using the Hill reaction as a detection method. Tomatoes samples without pesticide were fortified with atrazine, diuron, chloroxuron and metribuzin, and were applyed in silica gel plates with the help of a microsyringe. The pesticides were elued with ethyl acetate. There was no need of cleaning up because no interference was noticed. After the revelation of the plates, the diameters of the spots were measure by using a rule. The range of the determined concentration for all the pesticides was from 0.1 to1.0 ng/muL. The results obtained through TLC can be used for semi-quantitative analysis.The results obtained were compared to gas and liquid chromatography, showing good agreement between both techniques.

The photodegradation of parathion in natural and dezionised waters was studied under irradiation at two different wavelengths: 280 nm and 313 nm. The influence of humic acids was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the degradation occurred only due to photochemical processes. The chemical hydrolysis and biological processes can be neglected in this case. The addition of humic acids did not increase the photodegradation rate in either water samples (natural or dezionised). In alkaline solutions the photodegradation rate was higher in dezionised water when compared to natural waters. The kinetic degradation in all experiments obeyed a first order reaction pattern.

Estudou-se a distribuição de Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd e Pb em frações de substâncias húmicas (SH) de diferentes tamanhos moleculares. As SH foram extraídas de amostras de água (SHA) e de sedimentos de superfície (SHSS), interface/água (SHSI) e fundo (SHSF) coletados no reservatório de captação de água superficial Anhumas, localizado no município de Araraquara-SP. Para a extração das SH utilizaram-se os procedimentos recomendados pela Sociedade Internacional de Substâncias Húmicas. Após purificação por diálise, as SH foram fracionadas com base no tamanho molecular utilizando-se sistema de fracionamento seqüencial por ultrafiltração e fluxo tangencial. O fracionamento das amostras de SHA permitiu caracterizar uma distribuição de massa relativamente uniforme dentre as frações de diferentes tamanhos moleculares, com valores maiores nas frações F2 (20,8%) e F4 (23,8%). Exceto para os íons Pb(II) e Cu(II) os quais apresentaram concentrações relativamente mais altas nas frações F2 e F4, respectivamente, de maneira geral, crômio, níquel, cádmio e chumbo têm distribuições similares nas cinco frações com tamanhos moleculares maiores e médios (F1 a F5). Quanto às distribuições de massa nas diferentes frações de substâncias húmicas extraídas de amostras de sedimento de superfície (SHSS), sedimento interface/água (SHSI) e sedimento de fundo (SHSF), as três amostras apresentaram 42-48% das SH nas frações com maiores tamanhos moleculares (F1 e F2), 29-31% nas frações intermediárias (F3 e F4) e 13-20% nas frações com menores tamanhos moleculares (F5 e F6). De modo geral, caracterizaram-se para os íons metálicos, distribuições similares dentre as respectivas frações F1 a F6. Exceções para Pb(II) e Ni(II) em sedimento de superfície com concentrações relativamente menores nas frações F2 e F4, respectivamente.

In this work was studied the distribution of Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd and Pb in humic fractions with different molecular size. The HS were extracted from waters (AHS), surface sediments (HSSS), interface water sediment (HSIS) and bottom sediment (HSBS) collected in the Anhumas surface water collection reservoir, located in the district of Araraquara - São Paulo/State - Brazil. The humic substances were extracted by procedures recommended by International Humic Substances Society (IHSS). After purification by dialysis, the humic substances were fractionated using a multistage tangential flow ultrafiltration system. The fractionation patterns of HS characterized a mass distribution relatively uniform among the fractions with different molecular sizes, with larger values in the fractions F2 (20,8%) and F4 (23,8%). Except for the ions Pb(II) and Cu(II), which presented relatively higher concentrations in the fractions F2 and F4, respectively. In general, chromium, nickel, cadmium and lead have similar distributions in the five fractions with larger and medium molecular sizes (F1 to F5). With relation to the mass distributions in the different humic substances fractions extracted from sediment samples collected at three depth, they presented 42-48% of HS in the fractions with larger molecular sizes (F1 and F2), 29-31% in the middle fractions (F3 and F4) and 13-20% in the fractions with smaller molecular sizes (F5 and F6). In general, the metallic ions presented distributions similar among the respective fractions F1 to F6. Exceptions for Pb(II) and Ni(II) in surface sediment with concentrations relatively smaller in the fractions F2 and F4, respectively.

The main objective of this research was the characterization of the humic fractions isolated from vermicomposting, originating from cattle manure and treated with Eisenea foetida or Lumbricus rubellus, during 3 and 6 months. Elemental analysis and Infrared and UV-vis spectroscopy were used for their characterizations. The results obtained shown that both humic acids are very similar, but six-month humic acid shown lower percentage of organic material than three month humic acid. The spectroscopy analysis shown that the humic acid studied can be compared with other humic acids reported in the literature. By comparing both vermicomposts, the one produced in three months presents a great potential as fertilizer and it is more economical than the vermicompost produced during a six month period.

The herbicides are being used in huge quantities for various porpouses. Once the herbicide finds its way into the environment, a major part of it comes in contact with soil. Humic substances are major organic constituents of soil. These substances may interact with herbicides in different modes and adsorption is probably the most important one. Adsorption will control the quantity of herbicide in the soil solution, and determines its persistence, leaching, mobility and bioavailability. In this work we studied the interaction between the herbicide 2,4D and soil in the presence and absence of organic matter. The methodology utilized for the determination of 2,4D was gas chromatography with eletron capture detector. The behavior of 2,4D was evaluated through Freundlich isotherms. It was verified that the herbicide 2,4D has a large adsorption in the humic acid .