Edmilson Santos de Lima

Bioremediation of a tropical clay soil contaminated with diesel oil.

The removal of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in tropical clay soil contaminated with diesel oil was evaluated. Three bioremediation treatments were used: landfarming (LF), biostimulation (BS) and biostimulation with bioaugmentation (BSBA). The treatment removal efficiency for the total PAHs differed from the efficiencies for the removal of individual PAH compounds. In the case of total PAHs, the removal values obtained at the end of the 129-day experimental period were 87%, 89% and 87% for LF, BS and BSBA, respectively. Thus, the efficiency was not improved by the addition of nutrients and microorganisms. Typically, two distinct phases were observed. A higher removal rate occurred in the first 17 days (P-I) and a lower rate occurred in the last 112 days (P-II). In phase P-I, the zero-order kinetic parameter (μg PAH g(-1) soil d(-1)) values were similar (about 4.6) for all the three treatments. In P-II, values were also similar but much lower (about 0.14). P-I was characterized by a sharp pH decrease to less than 5.0 for the BS and BSBA treatments, while the pH remained near 6.5 for LF. Concerning the 16 individual priority PAH compounds, the results varied depending on the bioremediation treatment used and on the PAH species of interest. In general, compounds with fewer aromatic rings were better removed by BS or BSBA, while those with 4 or more rings were most effectively removed by LF. The biphasic removal behavior was observed only for some compounds. In the case of naphthalene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene, removal occurred mostly in the P-I phase. Therefore, the best degradation process for total or individual PAHs should be selected considering the target compounds and the local conditions, such as native microbiota and soil type.

Influência de poluentes atmosféricos em Belo Jardim (PE) utilizando Cladonia verticillaris (líquen) como biomonitor

Cladonia verticillaris used in this study was collected in the cerrado vegetation of Saloa (PE, Brazil) and transplanted in plastic containers on soil from the collection place to Belo Jardim (PE) that possesses lead smelters and battery industries. The experiments were disposed at eleven different places for evaluating the dispersion of pollutants and their effects on the biomonitor. The exposed lichens were collected over eight months and submitted to thin layer and high performance liquid chromatographies, and scanning electron microscopy. C. verticillaris placed in the vicinity of the emission sources demonstrated alteration in its metabolism, decreasing the production of its major compound, fumarprotocetraric acid, and deterioration of its external and internal surfaces.

Evolução petrogenética e tectônica do evento Cariris Velhos na região de Afogados da Ingazeira (PE), terreno Alto Pajeú, Província Borborema

O evento Cariris Velhos foi investigado numa area em torno da cidade de Afogados da Ingazeira, Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil, situada no terreno Alto Pajeu, um dominio composto toniano-ediacarano da Provincia Borborema. Nesta area as rochas metassupracrustais do Complexo Sao Caetano sao formadas por biotita-muscovita paragnaisses e gnaisses quartzo-feldspaticos, de protolito arcosiano ou vulcânico felsico, com intercalacoes de marmores e quartzitos. Sua historia deformacional comecou com um episodio tangencial D1/D2, cujo metamorfismo variou do facies xisto verde ao anfibolito, sendo marcado pela intrusao de sheets de ortognaisses. O episodio subsequente D3, de carater extensional foi marcado pela injecao de diques de metadioritos, os quais foram fortemente transpostos pelo episodio posterior D4, de natureza transcorrente. A principal estrutura deste episodio transcorrente e a zona de cisalhamento de Afogados da Ingazeira (ZCAI), cuja idade ediacarana e bem calibrada pela intrusao contemporânea do granito de Solidao, datado em 574 ± 74 Ma. Um estudo geoquimico das rochas metassedimentares indica que os protolitos do bloco SE da ZCAI sao grauvacas, enquanto que os do bloco NW representam grauvacas, litoarenitos e arcoseos, mas o padrao de terras raras normalizado para o NASC (North American Shale Composite) nao mostra grandes diferencas composicionais entre elas. Possuem assinatura geoquimica de sedimentacao sinorogenica, transicionando entre sedimentos derivados de arcos de ilhas oceânicos a continentais. Os padroes geoquimicos dos ortognaisses tambem sao indicativos de ambiente de arco magmatico, confirmando conclusoes encontradas por outros autores no estudo das rochas metavulcânicas do terreno Alto Pajeu. A descoberta do evento extensional D3 pre-transcorrencia sugere que a deformacao tangencial D1/D2 e o metamorfismo associado devem estar relacionados a evento orogenico, o que confirmaria a existencia da orogenese Cariris Velhos.

Geochemical Characterization of Granites of Distinctly Different Ages in the Alto Pajeu Terrane, Borborema Province, Northeast Brazil

This work presents geochemical data for granitic plutons that intruded the Alto Pajeu terrane, Borborema Province, northeastern Brazil, during several distinct tectonic cycles. The Alto Pajeu terrane is represented in the study area by metasedimentary (São Caetano Formation) and metavolcanosedimentary (Irajai Formation) sequences overlying a gneissic-migmatitic basement. Several granitic plutons of different ages, mineralogical proportions, and chemical compositions have invaded the supracrustal and basement rocks. Two deformational events, one tangential (older) and the other transcurrent (younger), were identified. The metamorphic grade determined for the metasedimentary rocks varies from amphibolite to high amphibolite facies, with temperatures ranging from 600 to 680°C and pressures from 6.0 to 7.5 kbar. Three magmatic events with distinct ages were identified for the tectonic evolution of the Alto Pajeu terrane in the study area. The older magmatic event is related to the Transamazonico orogenic cycle (∼ 2.0 Ga), the intermediary magmatic event to the Cariris Velhos cycle (∼0.97 Ga), and the younger magmatic event to the Brasiliano orogenic cycle (∼0.55 Ga). The Cariris Velhos- and Brasiliano-age granites are geochemically classified as peraluminous, subalkalic granites of the calc-alkalic series, whereas the Transamazônico-age granite is metaluminous and alkaline. Geochemical data presented and discussed here suggest that the magmatism related to the three tectonic events had distinctly different sources and petrogenetic evolutions.

Geochemical Signatures of Recent Holocene Estuarine Sediments of the Jaboatão River, Pernambuco, Brazil

The Jaboatao River Basin, northeastern Brazil, is characterized by urban and industrial land uses, although it includes extensive sugarcane plantations with a marked deterioration of the native forests. Heavy metal (HM) concentrations in estuarine sediments of the river have been measured to assess possible historical sources of pollution. The trace metals were investigated based on samples from a drill core taken 4 km from the mouth of the river. The sediments of the core were analysed for chemistry, particle size, and organic matter (OM) content. The chemical species analysed (As, Cr, Pb, Hg, Ni, and Zn) show higher concentrations in the 30–35 cm interval of the core. This indicates that the accumulation of HMs has been constant over the last few decades and confirms the existence of two well-differentiated compartments, one above and one below the 30–35 cm horizon. The partitioning of the sedimentary and geochemical profiles highlights varying environmental conditions in the estuary. This behaviour is marked by a conspicuous dichotomy in the C/N ratio, specifying signatures dependent on the geochemistry of the sediments and on hydrodynamic variations, in an essentially organo–siliciclastic depositional context. The OM present in the sediments indicates a progressive evolution of continental environment conditions at the bottom to more estuarine conditions at the top, which could indicate a small and progressive drowning of the Jaboatao River mouth, probably related to sea-level rise in the range considered.

Reconnaissance Geochemical and Tectonic Study of the Meta-Igneous Rocks of the Central Structural Domain, Northeastern Brazil

The meta-igneous rocks in the Pianco-Alto Brigida foldbelt, Borborema Province (northeastern Brazil) comprises, in the studied area, greenschists, amphibolite, and felsic gneisses derived from basalt to rhyolite precursors. In chemical terms, the mafic rocks are divided into three subgroups. Group-A metabasites have MgO > 6% and TiO2 > 1.8%. All samples exhibit within-plate chemical characteristics, such as high Zr/Y (6 to 8) and enriched incompatible elements. They have a sloping REE-normalized pattern [(La/Yb)N = 8 to 20]. Group-B metabasic rocks have low TiO2 (< 1.8%) and low Nb/Y and Zr/Y ratios (0.05 to 0.5 and 2.5 to 4.0, respectively), which place them within the mid-oceanic ridge basalt field, with N-MORB characteristics. They show a less differentiated REE-normalized pattern [(La/Y)N = 0.5] than Group-A metabasites. Group-C metabasites have a Nb/Y ratio that is intermediate between Groups A and B, and lower Ti and Nb contents. The metafelsic rocks of Group D show a highly differentiated REE-norma...