Oceanografia e Química: unindo conhecimentos em prol dos oceanos e da sociedade

Abstract

Recebido em 17/7/13; aceito em 2/9/13; publicado na web em 18/9/13 OCEANOGRAPHY AND CHEMISTRY: BRIDGING KNOWLEDGE IN FAVOR OF THE OCEANS AND SOCIETY. The marine environment is certainly one of the most complex systems to study, not only because of the challenges posed by the nature of the waters, but especially due to the interactions of physical, chemical and biological processes that control the cycles of the elements. Together with analytical chemists, oceanographers have been making a great effort in the advancement of knowledge of the distribution patterns of trace elements and processes that determine their biogeochemical cycles and influences on the climate of the planet. The international academic community is now in prime position to perform the first study on a global scale for observation of trace elements and their isotopes in the marine environment (GEOTRACES) and to evaluate the effects of major global changes associated with the influences of megacities distributed around the globe. This action can only be performed due to the development of highly sensitive detection methods and the use of clean sampling and handling techniques, together with a joint international program working toward the clear objective of expanding the frontiers of the biogeochemistry of the oceans and related topics, including climate change issues and ocean acidification associated with alterations in the carbon cycle. It is expected that the oceanographic data produced this coming decade will allow a better understanding of biogeochemical cycles, and especially the assessment of changes in trace elements and contaminants in the oceans due to anthropogenic influences, as well as its effects on ecosystems and climate. Computational models are to be constructed to simulate the conditions and processes of the modern oceans and to allow predictions. The environmental changes arising from human activity since the 18 th century (also called the Anthropocene) have made the Earth System even more complex. Anthropogenic activities have altered both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and the legacy of these impacts in the oceans include: a) pollution of the marine environment by solid waste, including plastics; b) pollution by chemical and medical (including those for veterinary use) substances such as hormones, antibiotics, legal and illegal drugs, leading to possible endocrine disruption of marine organisms; and c) ocean acidification, the collateral effect of anthropogenic emissions of CO 2 into the atmosphere, irreversible in the human life time scale. Unfortunately, the anthropogenic alteration of the hydrosphere due to inputs of plastics, metal, hydrocarbons, contaminants of emerging concern and even with formerly "exotic" trace elements, such us rare earth elements is likely to accelerate in the near future. These emerging contaminants would likely soon present difficulties for studies in pristine environments. All this knowledge brings with it a great responsibility: helping to envisage viable adaptation and mitigation soluti...

Nano E Microplásticos Nos Ecossistemas: Impactos Ambientais E Efeitos Sobre Os Organismos

“…De acordo com Horton et al (2017) os microplásticos são fundamentalmente obtidos a partir de duas fontes: primária que são os plásticos virgens (pellets), produzidos especificamente em escala micrométrica; e a secundária que são os fragmentos resultantes da degradação física, química e biológica de meso e macroplásticos (HATJE et al, 2013). Li et al (2017) afirmam que os microplásticos secundários são a maioria, e sua multiplicação no ecossistema é em função da entrada de detritos plásticos de diferentes origens.…”

Retardantes de chama bromados: uma revisão

“…1 Os retardantes de chama bromados reativos e aditivos, ou seja, as bifenilas polibromadas (PBBs), os éter difenílicos polibromados (PBDEs), o tetrabromobisfenol A (TBBP-A) e os isômeros de hexabromociclododecano (HBCDs) têm atraído grande atenção na última década devido a sua grande produção e amplo uso, bem como pela sua constante detecção no meio ambiente e nos seres humanos. 1,[7][8][9][10] Os retardantes de chamas bromados são, de maneira geral, persistentes, lipofílicos e apresentam elevado potencial para bioacumulação, tendo sua ocorrência na biota associada a efeitos deletérios, além de produzirem grande quantidade de fumaça e gases tóxicos nos incêndios. 11,12 A presença desses compostos já foi relatada em todos os compartimentos ambientais e em diferentes regiões do globo, incluindo regiões remotas onde não há histórico do seu uso e/ou produção (por exemplo, as regiões polares).…”

Special challenges in the conservation of fishes and aquatic environments of South America

“…These sites are on both sides of the continent, on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and the phenomenon appears to be independent of latitude, river basin volume, surrounding population or port activities. Whether a medium‐sized urban area or a megacity (Hatje et al ., ), the phenomenon is present and well established at very different biological and geomorphological settings ( e.g . Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Brazil, Buena Ventura, Colombia and Port of Pisco, Peru).…”