Juliano José Corbi

Bioaccumulation of metals in aquatic insects of streams located in areas with sugar cane cultivation

Streams located in areas of sugar cane cultivation receive elevated concentrations of metal ions from soils of adjacent areas. The accumulation of metals in the sediments results in environmental problems and leads to bioaccumulation of metal ions by the aquatic organisms. In the present study, bioaccumulation of the metals ions Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn in aquatic insects in streams impacted by the sugar cane was evaluated. The results pointed out that the insects were contaminated by the sediment and that the collector organisms as Chironomus species accumulated higher concentration of metals than the predator organisms.

Evaluating the use of predatory insects as bioindicators of metals contamination due to sugarcane cultivation in neotropical streams

Streams located in areas of sugarcane cultivation receive high concentrations of metal ions from soils of the adjacent areas causing accumulation of metals in the aquatic sediment. This impact results in environmental problems and leads to bioaccumulation of metal ions in aquatic organisms. In the present study, metal concentrations in different predatory insects were studied in streams near sugarcane cultivation and compared to reference sites. Possible utilisation of predatory insects as bioindicators of metal contamination due to sugarcane cultivation from 13 neotropical streams was evaluated. Ion concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn in adult Belostomatidae (Hemiptera) and in larvae of Libellulidae (Odonata) were analysed. Nine streams are located in areas with sugarcane cultivation, without riparian vegetation (classified as impacted area) and four streams were located in forested areas (reference sites). Metal concentrations in insects were higher near sugarcane cultivations than in control sites. Cluster analysis, complemented by an ANOSIM test, clearly showed that these insect groups are good potential bioindicators of metal contamination in streams located in areas with sugarcane cultivation and can be used in monitoring programmes. We also conclude that Libellulidae appeared to accumulate higher concentrations of metals than Belostomatidae.

Effects of hydraulic retention time, co-substrate and nitrogen source on laundry wastewater anionic surfactant degradation in fluidized bed reactors

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) removal in fluidized bed reactors (FBRs). FBR1 (HRT of 8h) and FBR2 (HRT of 12h) were fed laundry wastewater with 18.6±4.1 to 27.1±5.6mg/L of LAS in the following conditions: ethanol and nitrate addition (Phases I, II and III), nitrate (Phase IV), ethanol (Phase V) and laundry wastewater (Phase VI). LAS removal was 93±12% (FBR1) and 99±2% (FBR2). In FBR1, nitrate influenced significantly on LAS removal (99±3% - Phase IV) compared to the phase without nitrate (90±15% - Phase V). In FBR1 the absence of ethanol was more favourable for LAS removal (99±3% - Phase IV) compared to ethanol addition (87±16% - Phase II). In FBR2, 99±2% LAS removal was found up to 436days. By microbial characterization were identified bacteria as Acinetobacter, Dechloromonas, Pseudomonas and Zoogloea.

Assessment of chromium contamination in the Monte Alegre stream: a case study

The aim of this work was to study the contamination by chromium in the sediments of the Monte Alegre stream and in the larvae of Odonata and the possible impact caused by them on the stream macroinvertebrates community. It was found that chromium contaminated the sediments and the aquatic biota. Although, the stream macroinvertebrates community structure did not appear to be modified.

Genetic Diversity Loss in Chironomus sancticaroli (Diptera: Chironomidae) Exposed to Pyrimethanil Fungicide: an Analysis Using RAPD Technique

In the agricultural cultivation, the Pyrimethanil (4,6-dimethyl-N-phenyl-2-pyrimidinamine) fungicide is one of the most widely used compound in monocultures and has been detected in aquatic ecosystems. These genotoxic products increase the frequency of lesions in the DNA molecule, thereby increasing the risk of replication and transcription of altered DNA sequences. This study aimed to assess the loss of genetic diversity of Chironomus sancticaroli, a Brazilian native insect species, exposed to Pyrimethanil fungicide, using RAPD-PCR (random amplified polymorphic DNA) technique. The results showed that there was significant loss in the genetic diversity in the organisms exposed to high Pyrimethanil concentrations when compared with control site. Our findings reveal that RAPD-PCR is an effective method to access genetic loss derived to fungicide use and that the agriculture application may lead to a decrease in aquatic biota genetic diversity. This finding has important implications for conservation strategies and ecological management environments.

First Report of Epibiont Ciliates (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) Living on Aquatic Larvae of Pyralidae (Lepidoptera)

ABSTRACT: Epibiosis is the assemblage of epibionts on a given host individual (basibiont). Several studies have shown that epibionts can cause deleterious effects to their hosts. Here, we report the first record of epibiont ciliates (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) living on larvae of Pyralidae (Lepidoptera) from the Neotropical region.

First record of Nais schubarti Marcus, 1944 (Oligochaeta: Naididae) in the State of São Paulo

The Oligochaeta (Annelida: Clitellata) is known to have important participation in the aquatic macroinvertebrates fauna, mainly due to its active participation in the organic matter decomposition (Esteves et al., 2011). Despite its ecological importance, the knowledge about this taxon is still incipient (Timm et al., 2001; Gorni et al., 2015). According to Alves et al. (2008), Petsch et al. (2015), Maroneze et al. (2011) and Ragonha et al. (2014), these organisms can be found living on sandy substrates or in organic matter enriched environments (Behrend et al., 2012). In addition, these organisms are also recorded associated with aquatic macrophytes and leaf litter (Trivinho‐Strixino et al., 2000; Alves and Gorni, 2007; Gorni and Alves, 2007; Oliveira et al., 2014) with sponges (Gorni and Alves, 2008) gastropods (Gorni and Alves, 2006), insect larvae (Corbi et al., 2004) and amphibians (Oda et al., 2015). Recent studies (Gorni et al., 2015) recorded 75 species of aquatic oligochaetes in the State of São Paulo, in which 64 species (85%) belong to the Naididae family. This family stands out as diverse and abundant, being composed of eight subfamilies totalizing about 50% of the oligofauna described on the Earth. (Rodriguez and Reynoldson, 2011). In this article, we report the first record of Nais schubarti Marcus 1944 for the State of São Paulo (Figure 1). Sediment samples were collected by the Water Communities Sector (ELHC) of CETESB, and are part of the Sediment Quality Monitoring Network Project. The specimens were collected in the Paiva Castro reservoir, in the municipality of Franco da Rocha / SP (23°21’13”S and 46°39’56”O). The procedures for sampling, fixation and preparation of the samples followed the Technical Standard CETESB L5.309 (CETESB, 2003). The species was identified using the taxonomic criteria adopted by Brinkhurst and Jamieson (1971), Righi (1984) and Brinkhurst and Marchese (1989). According to the authors, N. schubarti is described with the following characteristics: length 2.5 mm, diameter of 150 μm with twenty‐five segments. The species has ventral setae of II‐V, 3‐5 per tuft, proximal nodule, distal tooth 2 times longer than proximal; in the following three segments by tuft, distal nodule, teeth of similar length. Dorsal bristles, 1 capillary and 1 acicular spatuliform in the distal third. Bulbiform stomach in VIII segment. Intestine dilated in the X segment. In the present literature, N. schubarti occurrence records in Brazil were limited to two Brazilian states: Pernambuco (Marcus, 1944; Righi, 1984; Christoffersen, 2007), and Paraná (Montanholi‐Martins and Takeda, 2001; Christoffersen, 2007); being recognized as an endemic species of South America (Christoffersen, 2007). However, it is probable that N. schubarti occurs in other Brazilian aquatic ecosystems, due to the scarcity of studies that aim at the survey of oligochaete species in Brazilian aquatic ecosystems, as well as the lack of specialists in the taxonomic identification of these worms.

Environmental diagnosis of metals in streams near sugarcane cultivation areas: current and historical analysis in the central region of the State of São Paulo

In Brazil, innumerable regions of native landcover have been removed and replaced by agricultural cultivation, especially of sugarcane. In this culture, the application of fertilizers containing metals has caused impacts on the water resources causing contamination of stream sediments and occasioning bioaccumulation of metals in aquatic invertebrates. In the year of 2006, an environmental diagnosis of metals in sediments of streams located near sugarcane cultivation areas and in streams located in preserved areas, was published. That study pointed to high concentrations of metals in stream sediments in agricultural areas. These streams have been monitored over the last 10 years conducting analyses of metals and monitoring possible changes in land use. In the present paper, a historical comparison of metals contamination in the sediments of the same streams is conducted, aiming to present a status of 10 years later, analyzing 5 metals (Zn, Cd, Mn, Cr and Fe) found in the sediments of 8 streams, five located in areas of sugarcane cultivation and three located in preserved areas. This study also shows that there is higher concentration of metals in the sediments of streams near sugarcane cultivation than in preserved areas. The temporal historical evaluation showed high concentrations of Cd in 2016 when compared to the year 2006 for streams near sugarcane cultivation.

First report of Epibiont ciliates (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) living on larvae of Leptophlebiidae (Ephemeroptera) from Brazil

Epibiosis was understood as a commensalism relation between two or more organisms. However, some studies have shown that epibionts can cause deleterious effects to their host. Here, we reported the first report of epibiosis between protozoa Epibiont ciliates (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) living on larvae of Ephemeroptera from Brazil.

Record of Epibiont ciliates (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) living on larvae of Odonata from Brazil

Laboratorio de Ecologia de Ambientes Aquaticos – LEEA, Departamento de Hidraulica e Saneamento – SHS, Universidade de Sao Paulo – USP, Avenida Trabalhador Saocarlense, 400, CEP 13566-590, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil*e-mail: julianocorbi@usp.brReceived: October 30, 2015 – Accepted: February 17, 2016 – Distributed: May 31, 2017