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Climate change is a progressive phenomenon that, although it can be mitigated, it cannot be stopped. As a consequence, the level of uncertainty is high to propose resilient design strategies to counteract its effects on people's comfort and health. Likewise, a limitation is the collection of information and access to climatic data of each place, so in the present work a cycle of temperature, relative humidity and wind speed measurements was proposed in a case study of social housing in the city of Tunja, Colombia. Thus, the objective of the article is to analyze and validate the reliability of the data collected on site. For this purpose, a descriptive statistical analysis of the information was carried out with tools such as Excel and PSPP version 1.4.1. As a result, it was found that, although the average level of reliability is acceptable, there are data below the minimum value of acceptability. It was concluded that descriptive statistics allows to know the margin of error to which the data are exposed and therefore reduce the uncertainty in the resilient design

The use of images from the Sentinel-3B SYN satellite (surface reflectance and aerosol parameters over land) is currently one of the most advanced technologies utilized to identify atmospheric aerosol concentrations on a global scale. The general aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of aerosols in the atmosphere of the Kiev region in northern Ukraine during 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Due to this study’s timing, both prior to and during the current military incursion into Ukraine, this study also evaluates the consequences of the invasion of the Russian army on the territory of Ukraine, in relation to the quantitative levels of aerosols present in the atmosphere. Satellite image data were modelled in SNAP software (Sentinel Application Platform). Using the JASP software (version 0.14.1.0), clusters with variations of T550 (Aerosol Optical Thickness) were generated. The Sentinel-3B SYN satellite images were made available by the European Space Agency (ESA), with moderate spatial resolution (>300 m), calibrated and normalized to an average standard of 0.83 µg/mg, with a maximum error of 6.62% in the 30 sampled points. Satellite image data were modelled in SNAP software. Using the JASP software (version 0.14.1.0), clusters with variations of T550 (Aerosol Optical Thickness) were generated. The results show variations in the concentration of T550 in different periods, revealing that the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine directly influenced the dynamics of aerosol concentration, attributed to factors incompatible with environmental sustainability.

The formation process of cities happens due to the migratory movements that contributed to the colonization of Brazil, and is also responsible for leaving an architectural heritage of great historical and cultural importance for the future of humanity. The objective of this review is to analyze the urban insertion of the first historical and culturally valued buildings in the city of Crissiumal, located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), in order to understand how they influenced the urban formation. For this, initially, the first buildings built in the city were identified, and then their insertion and their influences in relation to the formation of the urban fabric were analyzed. The research presents an analysis of maps in relation to the macro parceling, through the relationship between full and empty spaces, based on the proposal of the Inventory of Configurations of Urban Spaces - INCEU. Through research and analysis carried out from the maps created, it was possible to perceive that the buildings implanted in the immediate surroundings of Praça 25 de Julho had an influence on the urbanization and formation of the city. These buildings housed important places for society, such as City Hall, Church, Schools and Commerce. In this way, most of the new homes were built close to these places, and the city expanded from this environment.

The lack of urban planning can cause several consequences for cities, especially in the face of accelerated population growth, resulting in obstacles to urban infrastructure and its services, especially in terms of mobility, making it necessary to think of strategies aimed at accessible development, and efficient and sustainable cities. In this context, the general objective of this study is to analyze the active mobility of the city of Passo Fundo/RS (Brazil), in particular, the bike paths and public transport in the city. Thus, initially, bibliographic research was carried out on the subject addressed, then data collection was carried out on the main points of public transport and cycle paths in the analyzed city. From the data collection, an analysis was carried out through maps and it was possible to perceive the importance of analyzing the urban mobility of the municipalities, which helps in the understanding of the current scenario, collaborating both in the management and in the municipal planning, as in the development of guidelines that adapt to the place in the search for a better quality of life for citizens.

O objetivo da presente pesquisa é analisar as possíveis implicações da mobilidade urbana na Avenida Presidente Vargas, na cidade de Passo Fundo/RS-Brasil, em relação as variáveis diversidade e densidade urbana entre os anos de 2001 e 2020. O espaço urbano necessita de investimentos em infraestrutura para atender as demandas de circulação de veículos motorizados, no sentido de mitigar os congestionamentos, emissões de gases poluentes, poluição sonora e acidentes de trânsito. Neste contexto, torna-se notório fatores que influenciam de forma positiva e negativa no uso dos veículos motorizados e na mobilidade urbana, principalmente em escala local. Para o desenvolvimento dessa pesquisa foram realizados levantamento in loco, objetivando na construção de mapas temáticos que auxiliam na compreensão do urbano. Os resultados obtidos reforçam a análise da mobilidade urbana em seus diversos fatores que a influenciam, demonstrando a importância de se compreender a dinâmica urbana como um todo, aprimorando as tomadas de decisões. A análise construtiva atual dessa avenida demostra que as edificações aumentaram 51,30% em relação ao ano de 2001, mas mantendo a predominância de edificações residenciais mesmo com o aumento de usos de comércio/serviço e misto, favorecendo o acréscimo do número de veículos motorizados na avenida e comprometendo o fluxo viário.

Geography is a science that includes different perspectives about the environmental concept. The aim of this research is to analyze the concept of environment used by Brazilian geographers. Our approach included semi-structured interviews applied to Brazilian geographers dealing with environmental. The Method of Content Analysis was used to enable analyzes by grouping the respondents into different categories. This research revealed current results stating diverse Brazilian geographers’ viewpoints regarding the concept of environment. Such concept fits into four different geographical thinking such as classical, quantitative, critical and contemporary. Geography is a science that includes different perspectives about the environmental concept. The general objective of this study is to analyze the concepts of environment used by Brazilian geographers. Our approach included semi-structured interviews applied toBrazilian geographers dealing with the environmental. The Method of Content Analysis was used to enable analyzes by grouping the respondents into different categories. This research revealed current results stating diverse Brazilian geographers’ viewpoints regarding the concept of environment. Such a concept fits into four different geographical thinking such as classical, quantitative, critical and contemporary.

Air pollution is a factor of concern on a global scale, accelerating the deterioration of historic medieval architecture and having harmful effects on human health. The general objective of this study is to understand the risks of atmospheric contamination that contribute to the degradation of the medieval historical heritage of (1) Bab El Bhar, (2) the Tunis Train Station and (3) the Bardo National Museum, in the City of Tunis, capital of Tunisia, located in North Africa. Sequentially, 64 samples were collected in SMPSs and 64 of dust particles in sites 1, 2 and 3, from 2015 to 2019. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) was utilized together with High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) and the coupled with an Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDS), which allowed a better characterization and identification of NPs in images, using Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDS). The Bab El Bhar SMPS samples yielded a higher proportion of ultrafine and organic particles. Sedimented dusts showed high proportions of organometallic particles (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, S, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Ti, V and Zn). The need to create public policies to protect both human health and physical historic infrastructure is noted, as this study identified dangerous elements harmful to human health in ultrafine particles, easily suspended by the wind and highly corrosive to historical buildings from the medieval period in the air of a busy metropolitan tourist site.

The objective of this study is to obtain a more detailed assessment of particles that contain rare-earth elements (REEs) in abandoned deposits of Brazilian fine coal tailings (BFCTs), so as to aid current coal mining industries in the identification of methodologies for extracting such elements (Santa Catarina State, Brazil). The BFCT areas were sampled for traditional mineralogical analysis by X-ray Diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy and nanomineralogy by a dual beam focused ion beam (FIB) coupled with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis system (EDS). The results show that the smaller the sampled coal fines were, the higher the proportion of rare-earth elements they contained. Although the concentration of REEs is below what would normally be considered an economic grade, the fact that these deposits are already ground and close to the surface negate the need for mining (only uncovering). This makes it significantly easier for REEs to be extracted. In addition, owing to their proximity to road and rail transport in the regions under study, the opportunity exists for such resources (BFCTs) to be utilized as a secondary market as opposed to simply being discarded as has been done in the past.

The increasing mortality of COVID-19 can aggravate soil contamination by metals, harmful to the health of the population, requiring new projects for future cemeteries capable of mitigating these impacts to the environment, justifying the importance of studying the concentrations of metals in the soil of urban cemeteries. The paper analyzed the levels of metals in the soil of urban cemeteries in the City of Carazinho, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, located in southern Brazil, considering the increase in deaths by COVID-19, for the purpose of future projects for cemeteries aimed at mitigating the impacts generated on the environment. The soils of the three urban cemeteries in Carazinho were sampled, with 5 internal and external points, with 3 repetitions at depths of 0–20 and 20–40 cm, adding 180 samples to measure the concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb (g kg−1), considering the analytical sequence: (1) analysis in triplicate with mean deviation (RDS); (2) R2 of the analytical curve; (3) traceability of the pattern of each metal; (4) quantification limit of each metal (QL), with the performance of nitroperchloric digestion of the samples and the determinations of metals by flame modality atomic absorption spectrometry. Quantitative data on deaths by COVID-19 were analyzed by univariate modeling of time series, in the integrated autoregressive moving averages model. The results of this study were made available to fifteen architects, who attributed future solutions for environmentally sustainable cemeteries. The results showed high levels of copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) in the soil of the cemeteries studied. Considering the increase in deaths and subsequent burials per COVID-19 revealed a prediction for the death toll of 6,082,306 for June 9, 2022, it is assumed that metal contamination can reach even higher levels. To mitigate these levels of contamination by metals, 80% of the architect respondents expressed their preference for a vertical cemetery, with treatment of gases and effluents to mitigate environmental impacts.

Graphical abstract, Urban cemeteries are increasingly surrounded by areas of high residential density as urbanization continues world-wide. With increasing rates of mortality caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, urban vertical cemeteries are experiencing interments at an unprecedented rate. Corpses interred in the 3rd to 5th layer of vertical urban cemeteries have the potential to contaminate large adjacent regions. The general objective of this manuscript is to analyze the reflectance of altimetry, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) in the urban cemeteries and neighbouring areas of the City of Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is assumed that the population residing in the vicinity of these cemeteries may be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 contamination through the displacement of microparticles carried by the wind as a corpse is placed in the burial niche or during the first several days of subsequent fluid and gas release through the process of decomposition. The reflectance analyses were performed utilizing Landsat 8 satellite images applied to altimetry, NDVI and LST, for hypothetical examination of possible displacement, transport and subsequent deposition of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The results showed that two cemeteries within the city, cemeteries A and B could potentially transport SARS-CoV-2 of nanometric structure to neighboring residential areas through wind action. These two cemeteries are located at high relative altitudes in more densely populated regions of the city. The NDVI, which has been shown to control the proliferation of contaminants, proved to be insufficient in these areas, contributing to high LST values. Based on the results of this study, the formation and implementation of public policies that monitor urban cemeteries is suggested in areas that utilize vertical urban cemeteries in order to reduce the further spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Os índices de caminhabilidade tornam-se capazes de evidenciar as características dos passeios públicos nas cidades em escala mundial. O objetivo do manuscrito é identificar os padrões de caminhabilidade pela opinião dos usuários dos passeios públicos de circulação pedonal nas 22 áreas setoriais da cidade de Passo Fundo/RS-Brasil. O método consistiu inicialmente na identificação dos trechos com maior circulação de pedestres na cidade. Após foram abordados 269 usuários in loco para a aplicação do Método do IAAPE, com o uso dos 7Cs: conectividade, conveniência, conforto, conviviabilidade, clareza, coexistência e compromisso. As informações coletadas foram submetidas ao método de regressão. Os resultados gerados no Método IAAPE destacam o item coexistência (67,34%) e o compromisso (57,25%) com menor satisfação dos usuários. A média geral da satisfação dos usuários correspondeu a 71,21%. Os dados da pesquisa podem auxiliar projetos urbanos que venham atribuir melhorias nos passeios públicos.

In recent years the funeral industry has drawn attention from the scientific community concerning the potential pollution of the environment and the urban environment. In this review, the pollution caused by the cemeteries and crematoria around the world was addressed. The traditional burial leads to the production of ions, in the form of organic and heavy metals, bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that spread along with the soil and underwater. The crematoria produce small particles, trace gases (SO

Scientific works examining coal-derived nanoparticles (NPs) containing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) confined in marine suspended sediments (MSSs) in port regions worldwide is an understudied topic, despite the fact that coal NPs have tremendous negative impacts on marine estuaries. The general objective of this study is to analyze the NP levels of coal, including PTEs, contained within MSSs in the general vicinity of the largest Caribbean port in Colombia. The morphology, size, chemical composition, and agglomeration states of NPs within MSSs of the sampled beaches were calculated through modern electron microscopy. The methodology used to detect chemical elements, unfortunately with EDS, it is not possible to precisely specify the chemical elements of low atomic weight (e.g. H, O, F, etc.) Therefore, with the EDS available today, it is only possible to have an idea of the chemical composition of each detected particle. Thus, it was possible to obtain the average frequency of the chemical elements identified in the 23 analyzed sampling points. Through the results, more than one thousand particles were detected in the most abundant phases, thus, the most frequent particles in the results of this manuscript were described. Sample point 8, located closest to the coal export port, had a higher concentration of nano-toxic elements (Al, Fe, Si, K, Mg, K) most concerning for human health in addition to being harmful to marine life. This study suggests that public policies dealing with MSS pollution need to be discussed by public managers to avoid further and sustained environmental degradation. The need to create projects will subsidize legacy liabilities generated by coal in seaports in other regions of the world.

Graphical abstract, The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has the potential to cause natural ventilation systems in hospital environments to be rendered inadequate, not only for workers but also for people who transit through these environments even for a limited duration. Studies in of the fields of geosciences and engineering, when combined with appropriate technologies, allow for the possibility of reducing the impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the environment, including those of hospitals which are critical centers for healthcare. In this work, we build parametric 3D models to assess the possible circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the natural ventilation system of a hospital built to care infected patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building Information Modeling (BIM) was performed, generating 3D models of hospital environments utilizing Revit software for Autodesk CFD 2021. The evaluation considered dimensional analyses of 0°, 45°, 90° and 180°. The analysis of natural ventilation patterns on both internal and external surfaces and the distribution of windows in relation to the displacement dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus through the air were considered. The results showed that in the external area of the hospital, the wind speed reached velocities up to 2.1 m/s when entering the building through open windows. In contact with the furniture, this value decreased to 0.78 m/s. In some internal isolation wards that house patients with COVID-19, areas that should be equipped with negative room pressure, air velocity was null. Our study provides insights into the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 contamination in internal hospital environments as well as external areas surrounding hospitals, both of which encounter high pedestrian traffic in cities worldwide.

The analysis of marine matter using the Sentinel-3B OLCI (Ocean Land Color Instrument) satellite is the most advanced technique for evaluating: the absorption of colored detrital and dissolved material (ADG_443_NN), total suspended matter concentration (TSM_NN) and of chlorophyll-a (CHL_NN) on a global scale. The objective is to analyze ADG_443_NN, TSM_NN and CHL_NN using the Sentinel-3B OLCI satellite and the presence of Fe-nanoparticles (NPs) + hazardous elements (HEs) in suspended sediments (SSs) in the maritime estuary of the Colombian city of Barranquilla. The study used the unpublished image of the Sentinel-3B OLCI satellite in the evaluation of ADG_443_NN, TSM_NN and CHL_NN in 72 sampled points. Subsequently, 36 samples of SSs were carried out in the Magdalena River, in the identification of Fe-NPs by advanced electron microscopies. The Sentinel-3B satellite revealed particulate accumulations in OCE1 through the intensity of OLCI in ocean. There was also a high Fe-NPs intensity of SSs in the Magdalena channel, spreading contamination to large regions.

The effect of global climate change on the temperature of urban areas has become more pronounced in the past couple decades, impacting population and quality of life. The United Nations (UN), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have emphasized the impact of urban structures on microclimatic. A better understanding of these effects is important to formulate effective strategies that would contribute to address the impacts of increased urban growth. Here we address a case study of the Vila Rodrigues neighborhood, located in Passo Fundo City in southern Brazil to analyze the variations of emissivity, temperature and vegetation of the terrestrial surface, with influence of buildings. We employ Landsat satellite images, and unpublished data provided by the NASA, interpolated and classified in the QGIS software, using Bands 4, 5 and 10, converted to Gray Level (NC). This procedure allowed the spectral radiance of the reflectance temperature to be obtained. The Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were used, with correction of emissivity and spectral error, in the identification of the surface temperature of different areas in the Villa Rodrigues. The results showed a total variation of 3.86oC among the sampled points, which is increased by the difference in significance of the thermal balance in urban areas under open sky with buildings. We suggest that green areas and parks with abundant vegetative cover and the application of new building materials in future constructions would help to improve the urban climate, and such regulation of the local temperature on global scale is an effective step towards addressing the adverse effects from climate change.

Geospatial analyses have gained fundamental importance on a global scale following emphasis on sustainability. Here we geospatially analyze images from Landsat 2/5/7/8 satellites captured during 1975 to 2020 in order to determine changes in land use. Sentinel-3B OLCI (Ocean Land Color Instrument) images obtained in 2019 and 2021 were utilized to assess water resources, based on water turbidity levels (TSM_NN), suspended pollution potential (ADG_443_NN) and the presence of chlorophyll-a (CHL_NN) in order to temporally monitor the effectiveness of Brazilian legislation currently in force. This work on sustainability standards was applied to a hydrographic basin dedicated to agricultural production located in southern Brazil. Satellite images from Landsat 2/5/7/8 (1975 to 2020) and Sentinel-3B OLCI (2019 and 2021) revealed that changes in land use, vegetation cover and water in the Capinguí Dam reservoir detected high concentrations of ADG_443_NN (3830 m−1), CHL_NN (20,290 mg m−3) and TSM_NN (100 gm−3). These results can alert the population to the risks to public health and harm to hydrographic preservation, capable of covering large regions.

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides opportunities for researchers on a global scale to identify gaseous pollutants using the most modern techniques of analysis by satellite images from the Sentinel-5P satellite, in the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), for the formation of current scenarios, applied to valuation environment aimed at possible improvements attributed to air quality and human health. The general objective of this manuscript is to analyze the amounts of NO2 and CO gases with Sentinel-5P TROPOMI satellite images, collected during the year 2019, and apply the environmental valuation focused on air quality pollution, in the northern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the host city, Passo Fundo (southern Brazil) from 2020 to early 2021. The air quality valuation study applied the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). The results showed that NO2 had the highest concentration with a value of 7.88e +15 Column mol/cm2. CO presented a value of 9.43e +33 Column mol/cm2. The creation of scenarios aimed at valuation for the application of improvements in atmospheric air quality the understanding of the Willingness to Pay (WTP) of the interviewees. 514 residents of the City of Passo Fundo were queried as to their WTP for clean air quality in the city. The resulting WTP values, when applied to all households in the city as a whole, yielded an average WTP value of R$1,517,478.24 and the median WTP is R$599,390.00. It is suggested that pubic policies be written to enable these, or similar, amounts to be collected annually in order to mitigate harmful pollutants, such as NO2 and CO, currently found in the air of the City of Passo Fundo.

Resumo O projeto de metropolização em cidades médias torna-se uma nova realidade no Brasil, a medida que as políticas públicas incentivam a aprovação de projetos de lei voltados a criação de regiões metropolitanas. O objetivo geral da pesquisa é analisar a configuração espacial da viabilidade ou impossibilidade de metropolização da RMPF. Metodologicamente, foi analisada a configuração espacial da RMPF, por meio do método da sintaxe espacial da malha viária dos 23 municípios da RMPF. A pesquisa foi realizada com os líderes do segmento dos 23 municípios que compõem o projeto RMPF. Para coleta de dados foram entrevistados 159 líderes de segmentos (industrial, educação, saúde, bancários, empregatício e arquitetos e urbanistas), sobre a possibilidade de Passo Fundo se tornar uma metrópole. Os dados foram tratados estatisticamente pelo modelo matemático de regressão linear. Os resultados da possível Característica de Metropolização (CM) da RMPF, numa escala de 1 a 10, apresentou o valor de 4,1438, indicando que o projeto de metropolização apresenta debilidades. A constituição da metropolização em cidades médias requer mais do que um marco regulatório e condições objetivas, necessita uma construção social e política. Abstract The metropolization project in medium-sized cities becomes a new reality in Brazil, as public policies encourage the approval of bills aimed at creating metropolitan regions. The general objective of the research is to analyze the spatial configuration of the viability or impossibility of metropolization of the RMPF. Methodologically, the spatial configuration of the RMPF was analyzed, using the method of spatial syntax of the road network of the 23 municipalities of the RMPF. The Research was carried out with the segment leaders of the 23 municipalities that make up the RMPF project. For data collection, 159 segment leaders (industrial, education, health, banking, employment and architects and urban planners) were interviewed about the possibility of Passo Fundo becoming a metropolis. The data were treated statistically by the linear regression mathematical model. The results of the possible Metropolization Characteristic (CM) of the RMPF, on a scale of 1 to 10, presented the value of 4.1438, indicating that the metropolization project presents weaknesses. The constitution of metropolization in medium-sized cities requires more than a regulatory framework and objective conditions, it requires a social and political construction.

The environmental benefits of incorporating coal fly ash (CFA) into the concrete manufacturing process as a partial substitute for Portland cement are well known. What is less studied is the potential release of CFA derived nanomineral and amorphous nanoparticles during this process of incorporation. A thorough understanding of this makes it possible to understand the risks of exposure to particulates that are harmful to human health when CFA is mixed into concrete. The general objective of this study is to analyze airborne particulates released when CFA is mixed into concrete at the point of manufacture, focusing on the levels of nanominerals, amorphous nanoparticles and hazardous elements (HEs) contained within that are considered harmful to human health. These airborne particulates can be easily inhaled by plant workers in the absence of personal protective equipment. The authors analyzed samples of ash itself and collected actual airborne particulates using self-made passive samplers installed at the manufacturing plant. Regarding the ash analyzed, iron (Fe) was found in large amounts in relation to calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and silicon (Si). The transport, disposal and application of CFA in civil construction projects can provide an increased efficiency and reduce overall costs associated with the production of concrete. However, CFA poses a threat to human health due to the significant amount of HEs, nanominerals, and amorphous nanoparticles found to be released into the environment at the manufacturing plant.

A realidade brasileira, especialmente em cidades de pequeno porte, regularmente não apresenta condições financeiras suficientes para a aplicação e efetiva execução de projeto de saneamento urbano convencional. Neste sentido, torna-se necessário empreender esforços para a realização de projetos voltados para a melhoria da infraestrutura de saneamento básico, de modo que, ao suprir a demanda e necessidades populacionais de modo adequado, se possibilita uma melhora gradativa na qualidade de vida. Diante deste contexto, o objetivo geral da pesquisa é apresentar dois sistemas alternativos de tratamento de efluentes - os jardins filtrantes e as máquinas vivas, compreendendo suas potencialidades e fragilidades em relação às Estações de Tratamento de Esgoto (ETE’s) convencionais. Metodologicamente, foi realizado levantamento em revisões de literatura pertinentes ao tema, com as informações obtidas foi possível analisar as potencialidades e fragilidades na aplicação de cada sistema, de acordo com seis variáveis e parâmetros pré-definidos. Os resultados e discussões demonstraram que os sistemas alternativos de tratamento de efluentes possuem benefícios do ponto de vista econômico, ambiental e social, bem como na infraestrutura sanitária local num todo, o que demonstra a potencialidade de efetiva aplicação destes sistemas.

Air pollution monitoring is one of the most important features in contamination risk management. This is because many of the compounds contained within air pollution present a serious risk both for the preservation of open air cultural heritage and for human health. New particle formation is a major contributor to urban pollution, but how it occurs in cities is often puzzling. As more and more people enjoy an increased quality of life through outdoor activity, managing outdoor air quality is vital. This study presents the application of a low-cost system for monitoring the current level of road traffic passengers’ exposure to particulate air contamination. The global rise in tourism also leads to apprehension about its probable destructive influence on various aspects of global preservation. One of the major risks encountered by tourists, stemming from modes of transport, are nanoparticles (NPs) (≤100 ​nm) and ultra-fine particles (UFPs) (100–1000 ​nm) consisting of potentially hazardous elements (PHEs). This study examines Steen Castle, a medieval fortress located in Antwerp, Belgium. Significant NPs with PHEs, were found in the air sampled in this area. The self-made passive sampler (LSPS) described in this study, consisting of retainers specially designed for advanced microscopic analysis, is used for the first time as a simple way to characterize the surrounding atmospheric contamination caused by NPs and UFPs, without the need of other commonly employed more expensive particulate focused active samplers such as cascade impactors. This study aims to assess the result of the utilization of a low-cost, LSPS, to determine outdoor NPs and UFPs in a Belgian urban (Steen Castle) and rural area (Fort van Schoten). This work is the first to detail the usefulness of LSPS for the evaluation of Belgium’s outdoor air for NPs and UFPs, which contain PHEs.

Urban cemeteries on a global scale raise concerns due to their potential to concentrate differing levels of hazardous pollutants in their native soils due to the unnatural concentration of burials in a limited space. It is paramount for sustainability that designers of future cemeteries take this into account in order to minimize the deposition and movement of these contaminants within the soil profile. The objective of this manuscript is to identify the levels of certain hazardous element contamination, specifically heavy metals, in the soil of horizontal urban cemeteries that do not utilize herbicides for weed control. In this, solutions were sought for the construction of future urban cemeteries capable of mitigating further contamination of the environment by the increase in interments. The soils of three urban cemeteries (A, B and C) in the Brazilian city of Carazinho, in Rio Grande do Sul State, were sampled with 5 monitoring points in the internal area and 5 points in the external area of the cemeteries. At each point, 3 replications were performed at two depths (0–20 and 20–40 cm), totaling 180 samples in all, to determine the concentration of the following metals: copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and chromium (Cr) (g kg−1). In addition, online interviews with 15 architects who design cemeteries were conducted. Architectural design solutions to mitigate environmental contamination were modeled utilizing the Building Information Modeling system (BIM). The results showed an excess of Cu in the soil of cemeteries A, B and C, surpassing the standards allowed by Brazilian federal regulations. A total of 80% of the interviewed architects expressed their preference for the vertical cemetery, with gas and effluent treatment systems to mitigate environmental impacts.

A arquitetura pode ser entendida como um processo contínuo de adaptação de usos e/ou indivíduos, tais adaptações requerem comumente ampliações, estas quando não previstas e/ou consideradas podem inviabilizar o uso dos espaços. É o caso do novo coronavírus, SARS-CoV-2, que tem o potencial de tornar os sistemas de ventilação natural em ambientes hospitalares inadequados, não apenas para os trabalhadores, mas também para as pessoas que transitam por esses ambientes, mesmo por um período limitado. Neste estudo, realizou-se modelagem 3D paramétricas para a análise da possível circulação do vírus SARS-CoV-2 no sistema de ventilação natural de um hospital construído para tratamento de pacientes infectados na pandemia de COVID-19. Realizou-se a modelagem da edificação em BIM, gerando modelos 3D do ambiente hospitalar utilizando o software Revit e posteriormente para fins de simulação, o software Autodesk CFD 2021. A avaliação considerou análises dimensionais de 0°, 45°, 90° e 180°. Foi considerada a análise dos padrões de ventilação natural nas superfícies interna e externa e a distribuição das janelas em relação à dinâmica de deslocamento do vírus SARS-CoV-2 pelo ar. Nestas simulações a velocidade do vento atingiu velocidades de até 2,1 m/s ao entrar no prédio pelas janelas abertas, quando em tato com o mobiliário o valor altera para 0,78 m/s. Este artigo proporciona insights sobre a possibilidade de contaminação por SARS-CoV-2 em ambientes hospitalares internos.

Arboviruses have become a major public health problem in recent decades. Ae. aegypti has been the vector responsible for the greatest spread of these diseases. This study aims to identify outbreaks of Ae. aegypti, through the capture of egg traps installed in the City of Passo Fundo, in southern Brazil, to understand the geospatial dimensions aimed at mapping to control the proliferation of these mosquitoes. Methodologically, 20 points were selected for trap placement using an Irregular Triangular Network. Then, ovitrap traps were distributed at the sampled points, during all seasons in 2016 and 2017. From the collected eggs, a colony of wild Ae. aegypti mosquitos was established and stored for future testing. Using geotechnologies, the mapping of each trap was carried out with an accuracy of up to 50 cm. The greatest number of outbreaks occurred in the autumn and summer seasons, with an average temperature of 18 °C and 350 mm of rain, and 22 °C and 300 mm of rain, respectively. Spring and winter, when temperatures are lower, 16 °C and 17 °C, respectively, saw fewer outbreaks. The places that stood out in the study were the two most densely populated and least vegetated areas of the city, Bairro Vila Luiza and the Centro neighborhood. This demonstrates that vegetation suppression and high urban density rates contribute to the proliferation of Ae. aegypti on a global scale.

Initiatives to promote food security in relation to reducing food waste are of relevant for sustainability on a global scale. Rural buildings involved in the production of poultry and swine, in an integrated system tend to comprise a variety of forms with complex characteristics. Studying the impacts of an integrated system on sustainability and food production becomes opportune. This study aims to analyze parameters in different buildings involved in the production of poultry and swine; considering economic, social and environmental factors with the use of remote sensing geotechnologies related to food safety. Methodologically, a K-means cluster analysis of the buildings was carried out to understand the impacts of raising poultry and pigs in relation to the distance from forests, roads, water bodies, distances from local and total buildings, based on the use of geotechnologies. Unpublished images from the Landsat TM-8 satellite were used, made available by the United States Geological Survey, in partnership with the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, modeled in QGIS. The results present eight production clusters, and a variation of distances between the studied buildings was identified, along with distances close to water resources. The importance of an integrated poultry and swine production system, which contributes to global food security, was highlighted.

Urban centers concentrate high levels of atmospheric pollutants, sourced by vehicular traffic, public transit systems, industrial emissions and agricultural emissions. This leads to the accumulation of gases and particulate matter (PM) which contribute to the degradation of historic buildings. Considering the importance of preserving historic structures, this manuscript examines the analysis of dangerous elements on the facades of two historic, UNESCO listed sites in Bordeaux, France, Grosse Cloche and Cathédrale St-André, due to the multiple influences of atmospheric pollutants, responsible for the degradation of historic buildings, in addition to causing possible compromises to human health. A total of 48 samples of particulate matter were collected between June 2018 and May 2019 using self-made passive samplers (SMPSs). Sedimented dust samples were collected from the same locations at the same time, one collection during each of the 4 seasons of the year. Analyses of accumulated ultrafine particles (UFPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) were performed on the collected samples. The results detected the presence of more than 800 organic NPs with high levels of toxic elements. Of these, 78% were detected in samples obtained via SMPS and the others in sedimented dust. 60% were shown to have a diameter of less than 50 nm. The authors suggest restoring the sampled historical structures for the benefit of humanity, in addition to increasing the rigor of public policies to control the release of particulate matter. Los centros urbanos concentran altos niveles de contaminantes atmosféricos, provenientes del tráfico vehicular, los sistemas de transporte público, las emisiones industriales y las emisiones agrícolas. Esto conduce a la acumulación de gases y material particulado (PM) que contribuyen a la degradación de los edificios históricos. Teniendo en cuenta la importancia de preservar las estructuras históricas, este manuscrito examina el análisis de elementos peligrosos en las fachadas de dos sitios históricos, incluidos en la lista de la UNESCO en Burdeos, Francia, Grosse Cloche y Cathédrale St-André, debido a las múltiples influencias de los contaminantes atmosféricos, responsables de la degradación de edificios históricos, además de provocar posibles compromisos para la salud humana. Se recolectaron un total de 48 muestras de material particulado entre junio de 2018 y mayo de 2019 utilizando muestreadores pasivos de fabricación propia (SMPS). Se recolectaron muestras de polvo sedimentado de los mismos lugares al mismo tiempo, una recolección durante cada una de las 4 estaciones del año. Se realizaron análisis de partículas ultrafinas acumuladas (UFP) y nanopartículas (NP) en las muestras recolectadas. Los resultados detectaron la presencia de más de 800 NP orgánicas con altos niveles de elementos tóxicos. De estos, el 78% se detectó en muestras obtenidas vía SMPS y el resto en polvo sedimentado. Se demostró que el 60% tenía un diámetro de menos de 50 nm. Los autores sugieren restaurar las estructuras históricas muestreadas en beneficio de la humanidad, además de incrementar el rigor de las políticas públicas para controlar la liberación de material particulado.

Historic buildings that comprise the cultural heritage of humanity are in need of preservation on a worldwide scale in regard to degradation resultant from atmospheric pollutants. The Brazilian Public Market, located in the historic center of the mega city of Sao Paulo, is the object of this research, due to its representation of historical Brazilian architecture. The general objective of this manuscript is to analyze the influence of air pollutants on the degradation of the historic Sao Paulo Public Market in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methodologically, between May 2018 and April 2019, samples of sedimented dust were collected at five points on the side walls of the market’s historic structure, for the analysis of accumulated ultrafine particles (UFPs) and nanoparticles (NPs). A total of 20 samples of particulate matter were collected using self-made passive samplers (SMPSs). Using SMPSs, 12 months of accumulation and deposition were used to sample the atmospheric PM1. The results demonstrate the presence of dangerous elements such as: As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn. Note that EDS coupled with microscopy techniques, points out the risks to human health, due to the presence of these dangerous elements that accumulate in the building’s structure. The results show that 85% of the NPs sampled contained Pb, and 56% contained Pb and Ti, which are harmful to both historic buildings and human health. Air pollution enables the further deterioration of the Sao Paulo Public Market, which is in need of restoration.