Edgar Francisco Oliveira de Jesus

Associação entre concentrações séricas de minerais, índices antropométricos e ocorrência de diarréia entre crianças de baixa renda da região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association among blood serum concentrations of iron, zinc, copper, nutritional status and occurrence of diarrhea in children from a low-income community in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that evaluated 104 children aging from 1 to 5 years, selected in the months of April and December 2004, by the project Vila Rosario. The socioeconomic profile of the families and health of the children were assessed, including the occurrence of diarrhea. Nutritional assessment included weight, height/length, weight-for-age and height-for-age indices expressed in Z-scores and classification of the nutritional status based on these indices. Serum concentrations of zinc, iron and copper were determined in a sub-sample (n=59) by synchrotron total reflection x-ray fluorescence. RESULTS: The children lived in crowded households with unsatisfactory sanitary conditions and were from low-income families. The prevalence of diarrhea in the last moth was 55.7%; 28.4% of the children were underweight and 4.9% were stunted. Iron, zinc and copper deficiencies in the sample were 13.0%, 7.5% and 8.9% respectively. There was no significant association between nutritional indicators and serum concentration of the minerals. Blood serum levels of zinc in children without diarrhea were significantly higher than among those with diarrhea. CONCLUSION: Episodes of diarrhea can compromise blood serum levels of zinc in children.

Trace elements in fish and oysters from Sepetiba Bay (Rio de Janeiro – Brazil) determined by total reflection X-ray fluorescence using synchrotron radiation

Trace elements were determined in fish and oysters from Sepetiba Bay, Brazil, by total reflection Xray fluorescence using synchrotron radiation (SRTXRF). Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Se were determined in fish muscles and organs and in oyster soft tissue. SRTXRF was shown to be a good tool for the analysis of trace elements from biological tissue samples. Overall, the levels of the analysed metals were higher in oysters than in the fish samples. Metals were not uniformly distributed throughout the body of the analysed fish. The detected concentrations of Cr, Zn and Se were very high in some samples, surpassing the maximum limits established by Brazilian legislation.

3D X-ray tomography to evaluate volumetric objects

The 3D-CT and stereological techniques are used concomitantly. The quantitative stereology yields measurements that reflects areas, volumes, lengths, rates and frequencies of the test body. Two others quantification, connectivity and anisotropy, can be used as well to complete the analysis. In this paper, it is presented the application of 3D-CT and the stereological quantification to analyze a special kind of test body: ceramic filters which have an internal structure similar to cancellous bone. The stereology is adapted to work with the 3D nature of the tomographic data. It is presented too the results of connectivity and anisotropy.

Characterization of iron, copper and zinc levels in the colostrum of mothers of term and pre-term infants before and after pasteurization

Pasteurization is a thermal treatment applied to the milk used in human milk banks so as to provoke the thermic inactivation of pathogenic micro-organisms, with the aim of avoiding contamination of milk that will be offered to new-born infants in clinical conditions very often demanding special care. The literature has very little data available relating to the effect of pasteurization on the concentration of oligo-elements in human milk. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pasteurization on the concentrations of iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in the colostrum of mothers of pre-term (PT) and term (T) infants. Samples were collected from the day of birth to the seventh day after birth. The oligo-elements were analyzed using the total reflection X-ray fluorescence technique with synchrotron radiation. The following results of Fe, Cu and Zn (means±SD) were obtained for the PT and T colostrum samples, non-pasteurized and pasteurized, respectively: PT: 1.96±0.73 mg/l Fe/1.71±0.70 mg/l Fe, 0.67±0.28 mg/l Cu/0.64±0.28 mg/l Cu, 5.55±2.71 mg/l Zn/5.39±2.73 mg/l Zn; T: 1.71±1.01 mg/l Fe/1.46±0.99 mg/l Fe, 0.54±0.29 mg/l Cu/0.49±0.19 mg/l Cu, 6.97±2.82 mg/l Zn/6.75±2.62 mg/l Zn. There was a significant reduction in the levels of Fe, Cu and Zn in the samples of pasteurized colostrum. These results suggest that, despite the observance of a diminution in the levels of Fe, Cu and Zn in the samples of pasteurized colostrum, the values fell within the acceptable range for the specific nutritional needs of new-born infants during this period of lactation.

Ethanol Intake during Lactation Alters Milk Nutrient Composition and Growth and Mineral Status of Rat Pups

Lactating Wistar rats were fed a liquid diet containing either ethanol [ethanol-fed group (EFG)] or an isocaloric amount of carbohydrate [pair-fed group (PFG)] from day 1 postpartum up to day 14 of lactation, to investigate micro/macronutrient milk composition and the mineral status of pups. EFG presented a reduction of daily milk production and milk composition was significantly higher in protein and lower in carbohydrate, while the lipid content was similar to that of PFG. When compared to PFG, the milk of EFG had a decreased proportion of C22:6 n-3 fatty acid and an increase in medium-chain fatty acids and of several minerals. Pups of EFG showed reduced growth and a lower concentration of Cu and Sr in plasma and lower concentrations of Ca, P and Cl, and higher concentrations of Cd in the brain. We conclude that maternal EtOH intake greatly impairs lactational performance and modifies the mineral status of pups.

Determination of Trace Elements in Honey from Different Regions in Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil) by Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence

Trace and minor elements in Brazilian honey were analyzed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Up to 12 elements (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, and Sr) were detected in 160 samples of honey from 4 regions of Rio de Janeiro State (Barra Mansa, Teresópolis, northern and southern Nova Friburgo). The results showed the samples from Teresópolis had higher rates of essential and nonessential elements than samples from the other regions, except for Ni. K and Ca were the most abundant elements in all samples, in the range of 116.5 to 987.0 μg g(-1) . Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, and Sr were identified in small concentrations (0.01 to 12.08 μg g(-1) ) in all samples, indicating a low level of contamination in all the regions.

Study of the Metals Absorption in Culture Corn Irrigated with Domestic Sewage by SR‐TXRF

Abstract The main objective of this work was to evaluate the absorption of metals coming from the domestic sewage supplied through an irrigation system by furrows. For this, the culture corn (Zea mays L.) (AG 405‐AGROCERES) was irrigated by two different treatments: irrigation with domestic sewage and water. After the vegetative growth, the collected plants were divided into two parts: grains and leaves. These different parts were subjected to the digestion procedure in an open system and then analyzed by total reflection X‐ray fluorescence analysis with synchrotron radiation (SR‐TXRF). It was observed that the concentration of metals in the plants irrigated with sewage was higher than in the plants irrigated with water. The results indicate that the absorption of metals, in the leaves and spikes, is directly related to the application rate of water irrigation. But, in the case of the irrigation with domestic sewage, a larger absorption of metals was observed when the plant was irrigated with 180L application rate, so much for the leaves as for the spike.

Heavy Metals in Groundwater using Synchrotron Radiation Total Reflection X-Ray Analysis

Abstract The environmental pollution problem has increased due to industrial and population growth. São Paulo and Campinas are examples of large urban centers that have grown in a disorderly manner and, today, present contamination problems which have also reached the groundwater. In order to obtain information about levels of heavy metals in groundwater, analyses were carried out with samples from well monitoring at Landfill Pirelli in Campinas and in some supplying wells in the Campinas region which are, in their majority, wells of industrial supply. The analytical technique used for achievement of the analysis is total reflection X‐ray fluorescence with synchrotron radiation. All measurements were performed at Synchrotron Light Source Laboratory, located in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. The determined elements in this research were Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Ba, and Pb. The results were compared with the maximum permitted values (MPV) established by the Brazilian Health Department and, for Landfill Pirelli, the concentrations were higher than the permitted values for Ba and Pb, as was expected, because this landfill received residues during many years without control. In well supply, as in State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), elements such as Cr and Pb were not expected, so the monitoring of these wells is necessary in order to verify if these elements continue to be detected with values above the permitted values. The same elements were also detected in other supplying wells in the Campinas metropolitan region. For lead (Pb), values above the maximum were observed in 15 wells. The detection limits obtained varyied from 0.10 µg · L−1 to 7.91 µg · L−1 and were in agreement with the values presented by other analytical techniques.

Total Mercury Bioaccumulation in Tissues of Carnivorous Fish (Micropogonias furnieri and Cynoscion acoupa) and Oysters (Crassostrea brasiliana) from Sepetiba Bay, Brazil

Total mercury (Hg) levels were determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry (CVAAS) in tissues of two species of carnivorous fishes and in the soft tissue of oysters caught in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil. Hg was distributed unevenly in the organs and tissues of the fish; the mean Hg content was highest in the kidneys (0.048 μg/g wet weight) and lowest in the gills (0.004 μg/g w.w.). Mean Hg levels were higher in the oysters (0.052 μg/g w.w.) than in the fish (0.022 μg/g w.w). The total Hg concentration did not exceed the maximum concentration for food allowed by Brazilian legislation in any of the fish and oyster samples analyzed. Moreover, the Hg concentrations observed were all within the maximum level for fish recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO; 0.5 μg/g w.w.).Total mercury (Hg) levels were determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry (CVAAS) in tissues of two species of carnivorous fishes and in the soft tissue of oysters caught in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil. Hg was distributed unevenly in the organs and tissues of the fish; the mean Hg content was highest in the kidneys (0.048 μg/g wet weight) and lowest in the gills (0.004 μg/g w.w.). Mean Hg levels were higher in the oysters (0.052 μg/g w.w.) than in the fish (0.022 μg/g w.w). The total Hg concentration did not exceed the maximum concentration for food allowed by Brazilian legislation in any of the fish and oyster samples analyzed. Moreover, the Hg concentrations observed were all within the maximum level for fish recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO; 0.5 μg/g w.w.).

Maternal-Fetal Distribution of Calcium, Iron, Copper, and Zinc in Pregnant Teenagers and Adults

Adolescence is marked by intensive growth and development. When pregnancy occurs during this period of the mother’s growth, there is an increase in her nutritional needs. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of calcium, iron, copper, and zinc in maternal plasma, the placenta, and in the cord plasma of pregnant teenagers and adults. A total of 80 sets of maternal plasma, placentas, and cord plasma (40 from teenagers and 40 from adults) were analyzed using synchrotron radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence. The levels of calcium, copper, and zinc in the maternal and cord plasma from teenagers were not significantly different than those from adults. Iron levels in the teenagers maternal and cord plasma were higher than in the adults. All of the minerals analyzed were present at higher levels in the placentas from adults than those from teenagers. However, the low quantities of placental calcium, iron, copper, and zinc in the teenagers do not compromise the levels of these minerals in the cord plasma. Future research regarding the placental transport of these minerals is recommended to investigate the efficiency of mechanisms of transfer of these minerals in pregnant teenagers.