Hasta hace pocos años en las plantas de purificación de agua (PPA) solo se gestionaba la producción de agua potable, no prestando mucha atención a los lodos que se producción en los procesos de potabilización. Las aguas naturales, se han ido degradando por diversas circunstancias y los sólidos en suspensión y disueltos se encuentran en mayor proporción, haciendo necesario utilizar mayor cantidad de coagulantes y otros reactivos, generando una mayor cantidad de residuos. | Until a few years ago, water purification plants (WPP) only managed the production of drinking water, not paying much attention to the sludge produced in the purification process. Natural waters have been degrading for various reasons and suspended and dissolved solids are found in greater proportion, making it necessary to use a greater amount of coagulants and other reagents, generating a greater amount of waste. | Especialización | Especialista en Recursos Hidráulicos y Medio Ambiente

La investigación se basó en el desarrollo de siete etapas metodológicas con criterios de integralidad, análisis holístico, secuencia lógica, participación y sencillez, destacándose los siguientes aspectos: Conceptualización y contextualización, muestreo de suelos, procesamiento de la información, espacialización de la información, identificación de zonas susceptibles a riesgos de erosión y con mayor capacidad de almacenamiento de agua, recomendaciones de manejo y socialización de la investigación. La propuesta metodológica se validó y ajustó mediante un caso de estudio en la vereda Chicoral, subcuenca del río Bitaco, municipio de La Cumbre, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Mediante procesos de participación y concertación con los actores socioeconómicos del área de estudio se lograron diagnosticar las causas y consecuencias que intervienen en procesos de degradación física del suelo y a la vez se localizaron los sitios con mayor potencialidad de almacenamiento de agua, factores importantes para la planificación y uso racional de los recursos naturales en una cuenca hidrográfica.

En la localidad de Las Capillas, Departamento de Iruya, Provincia de Salta, se realizó un relevamiento de las problemáticas de la comunidad, detectándose como una de las más importantes las dificultades para el lavado de ropa debido a la temperatura muy fría o congelamiento del agua. En el marco del Programa de Voluntariado Universitario 2006 del Ministerio de Educación se diseñó y construyó un lavadero comunitario con agua caliente a partir de energía solar. Además de resolver el problema específico, la experiencia resultó un proceso de aprendizaje para la comunidad destinataria y para el equipo de la universidad que participó en el proyecto. | In the locality of Las Capillas, Department of Iruya, Province of Salta, was made a study of the communitys problematic, detecting like one of the most important the difficulties for the washing of clothes due to the very cold temperature or freezing of the water. Within the framework of the Program of University Voluntary 2006 of the Ministry of Education a communitarian laundry with hot water from solar energy was designed and constructed. Besides to solve the specific problem, the experience turned out a process from learning for the community and the university group. | Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES)

Se construyeron e instalaron calefones solares en la escuela, el centro comunitario y las viviendas de la comunidad de San Juan ubicada en el norte de la provincia de Salta. Esta localidad tiene un clima frío ya que está ubicada en la precordillera de los Andes a 3000 m.s.n.. El trabajo fue realizado por estudiantes y docentes de la Universidad Nacional de Salta en conjunto con los pobladores locales, en el marco del Programa de Voluntariado del Ministerio de Educación. Se atendió una de las necesidades más sentidas en el lugar que es contar con agua caliente sanitaria. Para los estudiantes y docentes que trabajaron el proyecto significó un enriquecimiento cultural y profesional. | Solar collectors in school and houses of San Juan community, in the north of Salta, Argentina, were constructed and installed. This small town is located in the Andes premountain and has a cold climate. The work was made by students of the National University of Salta with the local poblation, within the framework of the Program of University Voluntary of the Education Ministry. One of the felt necessities in the place is to count on sanitary hot water. For the students the project meant a cultural and professional enrichment. | Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES)

The main aim of this study was to produce internationally comparable knowledge on the status of cultivated soils in Finland. From the soil material collected during the latest sampling process under the national monitoring programme in 1998, 338 samples were selected for this investigation. The sampling sites were situated evenly over the whole cultivated area in Finland. Samples taken as four sub-samples from the plough layer were analysed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) using aqua regia extraction according to an international standard method (ISO 11466). General statistical indicators of the analytical results of trace element concentrations are presented by soil type groups and by plant cultivation zones. Distributions of the results into the concentration classes are shown graphically and geographical distributions of the trace element concentrations are presented on the thematic maps.

Reduzir, reutilizar e reciclar são as novas tendências do mercado. Tanto as grandes empresas como as pequenas estão se adequando a esse novo cenário, não sendo diferente no ramo da indústria. No sentido de contribuir com esse novo cenário, o objetivo geral deste trabalho foi disponibilizar conhecimentos sobre práticas e/ou procedimentos para a redução do consumo de água, da geração de efluentes e de resíduos sólidos em uma indústria de laticínios de pequeno porte. Durante o período de setembro de 2006 a janeiro de 2007, foi quantificado o consumo diário de água obtido pela leitura do hidrômetro, e determinado o coeficiente de consumo expresso em litros de água por litro de leite processado. Foram estimados a porcentagem de embalagem perdida, a massa diária de embalagem perdida e o coeficiente de perda expresso em gramas de embalagem por litro de leite processado. Foi feito um acompanhamento detalhado das etapas de higienização em todas as linhas de processamento, verificando se os procedimentos executados pelos colaboradores do laticínio estavam em acordo com as Instruções de Trabalho disponíveis na indústria. Os procedimentos de higienização dos equipamentos foram avaliados em cada linha de processamento, usando a técnica da bioluminescência e a contagem padrão em placas. Os ambientes de produção foram analisados quanto à presença de bactérias aeróbias mesófilas e fungos filamentosos e leveduras, utilizando o amostrador de ar MAS-100 da Merck, de um estágio. A média do consumo diário de água foi de 81.260 litros e a média do volume de leite processado de 14.329 litros, resultando em um coeficiente médio de consumo de 5,67. Foi constatado ser possível reduzir o consumo de água em 15.400 litros diariamente, apenas com a implementação de medidas de engenharia simples e de baixo custo juntamente com a padronização dos procedimentos de limpeza, treinamento e conscientização dos funcionários e práticas de reúso da água. Estes procedimentos correspondem a uma redução de 19% no consumo diário total. A embalagem que possui o maior percentual de perda (14%) e o maior coeficiente de perda (0,36 g de embalagem/litro de leite) é o selo utilizado para lacrar o pote de manteiga, seguido pelo selo que lacra o pote de requeijão com 13% de perda e coeficiente de 0,15. A técnica da bioluminescência considerou 36% das superfícies em condições higiênicas satisfatórias, 36% em condições suspeitas e 28% em condições higiênicas insatisfatórias quanto ao procedimento de higienização. A contagem microbiana detectou 27% das superfícies em condições higiênicas satisfatórias, considerando a recomendação da APHA e a recomendação de 64% da OMS. Dos ambientes analisados, 33% deles obtiveram contagens para aeróbios mesófilos acima de 90 UFC·m-3 e 67% obtiveram contagens para fungos filamentosos e leveduras acima desse valor, evidenciando uma maior presença de fungos e leveduras no ar dos ambientes de processamento. De posse destes dados, foi proposto um programa educativo direcionado principalmente para as micros e pequenas empresas do setor de laticínios, mostrando a importância e as vantagens de fazer um controle preventivo da geração de efluentes e do consumo de água. | The new trend in the market is to reduce, to reuse and to recycle. Both large and small companies in different industries are adapting to this new scenario. In the interest of contributing to the new scenario, the general objective of this work was to make knowledge available on practices and / or procedures for the reduction of water consumption, the generation of effluents and solid residues from a small business producing dairy products. During the period September 2006 to January 2007, the daily consumption of water was quantified by taking reading from the water meter, and the consumption coefficient was determined and expressed in litres of water per litre of processed milk. There was an estimate of the percentage of lost packing, of the daily mass of lost packing and the loss coefficient was expressed in grams of packing per litre of processed milk. A detailed assessment of the hygiene procedures in the process lines was made in order to verify that the procedures carried out were in agreement with work instructions available for the industry. The procedures for sterilization of equipment were evaluated in each processing line, using the technique of bioluminescence and the pattern count in plates. The production environment was analyzed with relationship to the presence of aerobic mesophile bacteria and fungus spores and yeast cells, using the Merck MAS-100 single stage sampler. The average daily consumption of water was 81.260 litres and the average volume of processed milk was 14.329 litres, resulting in a medium coefficient of consumption of 5,67. It was verified that it would be possible to reduce the consumption of water to 15.400 litres per day, just with the implementation of simple low cost engineering measures together with the standardization of the cleaning procedures, training and the employees' understanding of the need to reuse water. These procedures correspond to a reduction of 19% in the total daily consumption. The packing which has the largest percentile loss (14%) and the largest loss coefficient (0,36 g of packing / litre of milk) is the label used to seal the butter pot, followed by the label that seals the curd pot, with 13% loss and coefficient of 0,15. The method of bioluminescence considered 36% of the surfaces in satisfactory hygienic state, 36% in suspect conditions and 28% in unsatisfactory hygienic conditions when related to the sterilization procedure. The microbial count detected 27% of the surfaces in satisfactory hygienic conditions, considering the recommendation of APHA and the recommendation of 64% of WHO. Of the analyzed environments, 33% of them obtained counts for aerobic mesophile above 90 UFC·m-3 and 67% obtained counts for fungus spores and yeast cells above that value, evidence of a larger presence of fungus and yeasts in the air of the processing environment. With the complete data in hand, an educational program was proposed addressed mainly to the small and medium companies in the dairy products sector, showing the importance and the advantages of using preventative control of effluent generation and reducing the water consumption. | Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

En la cuenca hidrográfica de la quebrada Piedras Blancas, Oriente Antioqueño - Colombia, se ubicaron dos sitios con diferente cobertura vegetal: uno con una plantación de Pinus patula (pino) y el otro, con cobertura natural. En cada sitio se demarcaron dos transectos con diferente dirección: uno N-S y el otro E-O. Sobre cada transecto se hizo un muestreo intensivo del suelo, a cuatro profundidades y en dos épocas diferentes: una seca y otra húmeda, para evaluar la persistencia de la repelencia al agua real y la respuesta de la repelencia al agua al secado de las muestras a diferentes temperaturas en ambas coberturas, épocas y direcciones. La evaluación de la persistencia se hizo con el método WDPT (Water Drop Penetration Time) en condiciones de campo y en suelos secados a temperaturas de 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 y 105°C. Se observó que al incrementar la temperatura de secado, se incrementó la repelencia al agua y el volumen de suelo afectado por la hidrofobicidad. Esta situación, aunque se presenta en ambas coberturas, ocurre con mayor intensidad en los suelos ubicados bajo plantaciones de Pinus patula. Se encontró una anisotropía marcada en la repelencia al agua, la cual presentó una tendencia general a desarrollar mayor grado de hidrofobicidad en los transectos ubicados en dirección E-O. En todos los transectos estudiados se detectó una amplia variabilidad espacial, de rango corto, en la repelencia al agua, así como una distribución en parches del fenómeno y la generación de vías de flujo preferencial para la entrada y circulación de agua en el suelo.<br>In Piedras Blancas watershed, Oriente Antioqueño - Colombia , two sites with different vegetative cover were located: one with a plantation of Pinus patula (pine) and the other one with natural covering. In each site two transects with different direction were defined: one N-S and the other one E-O. On each transect an intensive sampling of soil was made to four depths and in two different times: one dry and the another humid to evaluate the persistence from the real water repellency and the answer from the water repellency to drying samples with different temperatures in both coverings, times and directions. Persistence evaluation was made by WDPT method under field conditions and in dried soils to temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and105°C. It was observed that when drying temperature was increased, water repellency and soil volume affected by the hydrophobicity were also increased. This situation presented in both coverings occurs with more intensity in soils under plantations of Pinus patula. An anisotropy in water repellency was found presenting a general tendency to develop highest grade of hydrophobicity in transects in E-O direction. In all studied transects a wide space variability of short range was detected in water repellency, as well as a distribution in patches of the phenomenon and the generation of preferential flow pathways for entrance and circulation of water in soil.