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Environmental Education is increasingly inserted without everyday life in society. This article had as objective to study how newspapers of circulation in the Northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul report subjects that deal with Environment and Environmental Education. The methodology used consisted of the evaluation and quantification of subjects related to the Environment and Environmental Education in the newspapers Atos e Fatos, Atualidades, O Celeiro e Novo Noroeste. For that, the quantitative-qualitative methodology was used, and, later, the number of news items was analyzed; the theme addressed; the presence of the functions of Environmental Journalism and the use of the functions of Ecological Literacy. Based on the Content Analysis Theory according to BARDIN (2004), Functions of Environmental Journalism described by BUENO (2008) and Ecological Literacy proposed by NUNES (2005). The period of analysis was chosen at random, being restricted to the months of March and April of 2017. As a result, the presence of non-formal Environmental Education was verified in thirty news items found in agricultural, rural, general, among others. The main topics addressed were food and grain production, recycling and climate change conditions. The Informational Function of Environmental Journalism had more occurrence and the criteria of the Ecological Literacy that more appeared were Knowledge, Attitude and values ​​and Participation. Therefore, this study was important because it made possible the analysis of newspapers of regional circulation where it was realized that it is necessary to develop non-formal Environmental Education since its growth and dissemination will also entail the involvement of people in the discussion about the environment and new attitudes.

Sewage effluent effects on the biochemical parameters of Astyanax bimaculatus organs were investigateted. Treated sewage was collected in a treatment plant; 43 compounds, among them, pharmaceuticals and hormones, were investigated. Caffeine, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, ofloxacin, oxytetracycline, paracetamol, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfathiazole and tylosin waste was detected in the collected material. Fish were divided into four groups: control, TSE (treated sewage effluent), TSE + P (TSE with increased concentration of five pharmaceuticals) and PTSE (TSE + P post-treated with O3/H2O2/UV). Biochemical parameters were evaluated in different organs after 14-day exposure. TBARS levels increased significantly in the brain of animals in the TSE and TSE + P groups in comparison to the control. There was significant reduction in TBARS levels recorded for the liver, muscle and gills of animals in the PTSE group in comparison to those of animals in the other groups. AChE activity reduced in the muscle of animals in the groups showing the highest pharmaceutical concentrations. CAT activity in the liver of animals in groups exposed to pharmaceutical effluent was inhibited. GST activity increased in brain of animals in the TSE + P and PTSE groups, whereas reduced levels of this activity were observed in liver of animals in the TSE group. Increased GST activity was observed in the brain of animals in TSE + P and PTSE groups. Based on integrated biomarker response values, the TSE + P group presented greater changes in the analyzed parameters. Results point out that pharmaceutical waste can cause oxidative stress, as well as affect biochemical and enzymatic parameters in Astyanax sp. Post-treatment can also reduce damages caused to fish, even in case of the likely formation of metabolites. Based on these results, these metabolites can be less toxic than the original compounds; however, they were not able to fully degrade the pharmaceutical waste found in the sewage, which can interfere in fish metabolism.

A wide variety of pharmaceuticals are discharged in water courses on a daily basis due to their incomplete removal from effluent in treatment plants. The aim of the current study was to assess the occurrence, fate and removal of pharmaceuticals from effluent and sludge samples collected in the biggest sanitary sewer plant in Southern Brazil. In total, 13 pharmaceuticals were detected in the influent through UHPLC-MS/M – paracetamol and caffeine recorded the highest concentrations, 137.98 and 35.29 µg L−1, respectively. The treated effluent presented 11 compounds. Antibiotics were the class recording the widest diversity; metronidazole showed the lowest concentration (0.023 µg L−1) and sulfamethoxazole presented the highest concentration (1.374 µg L−1) in influent samples. Seven pharmaceuticals were absorbed by the sludge; among them, one finds caffeine, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin, which were quantified both in the effluent and in the sludge. On the other hand, doxycycline, fenbendazole, norfloxacin and tetracycline were only detected in sludge samples – their concentrations ranged from 0.026 to 5.034 mg kg−1. Clindamycin, oxytetracycline, sulfathiazole and trimethoprim concentrations increased throughout the treatment. There were high paracetamol and caffeine removal rates (>97%), and it may have happened due to degradation, photodegradation or chemical reaction. Ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin removal rate exceeded 83% mainly due to their sorption by sludge. Finally, the mass balance analysis highlighted high pharmaceutical loads (511.466 g d−1) discharged into recipient waterbodies. This outcome demands broadening the removal of these pharmaceuticals from sewage.

Considering the risks of water contamination by anthropic activities in general, objectified aimed to analyze the impacts of activities installed in the contribution basin of one of the main springs of Lajeado Erval Novo, rural area of the municipality of Bom Progresso/RS. Bordering the source, after the riparian forest, there is agricultural occupation with management of annual crops.. Far 280 m upstream from the source operates a landfill. The evaluation of contamination by micro pollutants was performed through the analysis of physical, chemical and microbiological indicators, as well as the search for pesticides. Four analytical campaigns were conducted during 2018, with sampling in January, April, July and October. Among the findings of the study it is noteworthy that the landfill has negligible potential for contamination to spring water and that no characteristic elements of landfill leachate were found. The high concentration of aluminum and the slightly acidic pH of the waters may be of natural origin. Sulphate and nitrate contents, as well as the high total and thermotolerant coliforms count may indicate agricultural contamination. No pesticide molecules were quantified. It was also concluded by the classification of the source as Class 3.

A produção sustentável de alimentos é um paradigma atual da agricultura moderna. Diante da redução dos estoques mundiais de fertilizantes tradicionalmente empregados na agricultura, fontes alternativas de adubação podem ser utilizadas como opção de substituição parcial de nutrientes em sistemas de transição. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influência de fontes de nutrientes no cultivo da couve manteiga crioula em transição orgânica. Nesse estudo foram utilizadas quatro fontes de fertilização do solo, formando quatro tratamentos: fertilizante mineral NPK, adubo orgânico cama de frango, calcário e pó de rocha. O experimento foi conduzido em uma propriedade no município de Três Passos, Rio Grande do Sul. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Foram avaliadas: altura de plantas, número de folhas de plantas, peso de folhas, peso de plantas e produtividade. O fertilizante orgânico cama de frango obteve valor próximo ao adubo mineral NPK quanto à altura, peso, número de folhas e produtividade. Verificou-se que os tratamentos com calcário, pó de rocha, cama de frango e NPK obtiveram valores médios, respectivamente, de 7, 11, 15 e 23 Mg ha-1 de produtividade. O tratamento com pó de rocha apresentou resultado similar relação à cama de frango em todos os parâmetros avaliados. Com a utilização do pó de rocha como fonte de adubação é possível obter produtividades estatisticamente semelhantes àquelas obtidas quando a cama de frango é utilizada na couve, evidenciando o uso do pó de rocha como fonte alternativa para a fertilização.