Água-mel (honey–water) is a typical honey-based product produced by the Portuguese beekeepers, particularly in southern Portugal. Água-mel was characterized by mineral content and volatiles contents. Mineral content evaluation was performed based on a random sampling of 14 samples from a total of 16 samples provided by local producers. Mineral content showed that potassium predominated in água-mel samples (1270–4105 mg/kg). The concentration of aluminium in one sample was tenfold higher (5.8 mg/kg) than in the remaining samples (0.3–0.6 mg/kg). Água-mel volatiles were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) from a subset of eight samples. Cluster analysis showed two poorly correlated clusters (S cₒᵣᵣ < 0.3). Cluster I only sample was dominated by trans-β-ocimene (19 %), γ-terpinene (15 %) and 2-furfural (9 %). Cluster II that included the remaining seven samples showed two moderately correlated subclusters (S cₒᵣᵣ < 0.5). The six samples with high correlation from subcluster IIa were dominated by 2-furfural (18–41 %) and benzene acetaldehyde (12–39 %). n-Nonadecane (14 %), n-heneicosane and 2-furfural (both 13 %) were the main components of subcluster IIb sample. Although the presence of some volatile compounds can help in the correlation between água-mel and honey botanical source, the final product varies largely according to the preparation process even for the same producer, in different years. Água-mel detailed characterization may assist in bringing added value to this typical Portuguese honey-based product.

Água-mel is a honey-based traditional product typically produced in southern Portugal. The evolution of some parameters during its production using two distinct containers (aluminium and stainless steel with a water cooling system) and two heating sources (gas heating and electricity) were evaluated. All parameters, except moisture, increased over time, reaching a ‘plateau’ after 8 h of heating. Moisture, free acidity, HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural), colour, melanoidins, phenols and glucose depended on the producer and procedure for obtaining água-mel. Kinetic parameters and correlation coefficients were determined. In general, changes in parameters during água-mel production followed zero- and/or first-order kinetics, depending on the producer and heating system.

Resumen La electrocoagulación es un método alternativo a los métodos convencionales de coagulación-floculación usados en tratamiento de aguas residuales. Hoy en día, esta técnica se emplea para el tratamiento de aguas residuales domésticas, industriales y sanitarias. En el proceso de electrocoagulación se generan iones metálicos in situ (p. ej., iones generados por el paso de corriente eléctrica, electrólisis). Estos iones son precursores de una variedad de especies coagulantes y su producción puede controlarse con facilidad por el tiempo de la electrólisis y los parámetros establecidos en la celda electrolítica (p. ej., corriente o potencial). Las especies coagulantes pueden presentar diversas cargas superficiales y el proceso de coagulación se da por interacción de dichas especies con los contaminantes contenidos en las aguas residuales. Estos coagulantes son capaces de atrapar partículas coloidales o incluso los microorganismos patógenos que podrían crecer en las aguas. La sobreproducción de coagulantes durante la electrólisis favorece la formación de flóculos, que a su vez precipitan en la celda electrolítica. Una vez finalizada la electrólisis, el precipitado se remueve con facilidad por filtración simple. En el presente manuscrito se evaluó la eficiencia de la electrocoagulación, usando ánodos de aluminio comercial obtenidos a partir de latas de bebidas convencionales (latas de refrescos o cerveza). El aluminio comercial se caracterizó electroquímicamente y se comparó con aluminio de alta pureza. La caracterización electroquímica demostró que el aluminio comercial produce mayores cantidades de agentes coagulantes bajo las mismas condiciones experimentales. Por ello, el aluminio comercial se utilizó como material anódico para el tratamiento de aguas artificiales infectadas con tres tipos de bacterias: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli y Staphylococcus aureus, respectivamente. Los resultados experimentales han mostrado una efectividad de remoción de 100% cuando las aguas están infectadas de Pseudomonas aeruginosa o Escherichia coli, mientras que las aguas infectadas con Staphylococcus aureus presentaron una eficiencia de remoción de 99.86%. | Abstract The electrocoagulation is considered as a technique with great potential to replace the conventional method of coagulation-flocculation induced by chemical reagents. Currently, this technique has been taken with interest in wastewater treatments in public services of water supplies, industries, and sanitation. Briefly, the electrocoagulation generates in-situ the metallic ions, which are the precursors of a broad range of coagulant species. The amount of generated ions is easily controlled with the time of electrolysis and the cell parameters set-up (e. g., potential or current). The coagulants will be composed by a variety of oligomeric species with different surface charges. These coagulants will destabilize and "catch" pathogenic microorganisms or colloidal particles from the wastewaters. Afterward, the excess of coagulants will entail the formation of precipitates (a.k.a. flocculation) which are easily removed by filtration. Herein, two different qualities of metallic aluminum were tested for the electrogeneration of coagulant species: a) aluminum obtained from soda drink cans, and b) pristine aluminum. The electrochemical characterization has shown that the aluminum coming from commercial soda drinks produces higher loads of coagulant agents than the pristine aluminum under the same experimental conditions. Hence, commercial aluminum was chosen as anodic material for the treatment of artificial waters infected with three types of bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The experimental results have shown an effectiveness of the 100% on the removal of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, whereas for Staphylococcus aureus the removal efficiency was 99.86%.

O cultivo intensivo pode alterar a composição química da solução do solo, favorecendo a perda de solutos. Dessa forma, poderia mudar a composição química dos cursos de água. Foi realizado um estudo na fazenda da EPAMIG em Oratórios, Minas Gerais, de junho de 1996 a maio de 1997, para avaliar o efeito do manejo do solo na composição química da solução do solo, considerando as condições climáticas. O carbono orgânico solúvel também foi determinado na solução do solo e no deflúvio de pequenos cursos de água. Foram realizadas extrações mensais da solução do solo sob diferentes coberturas vegetais, nas camadas de 0-20, 20-40 e 40-100 cm de profundidade. A extração da solução do solo foi feita por centrifugação, a uma força centrífuga relativa correspondente a 900 g. Em acréscimo, foram feitas coletas semanais de deflúvio de quatro pequenos cursos de água com uso variado de suas respectivas áreas de drenagem. Foi observada uma ligeira elevação na concentração de íons em solução com o início do período chuvoso, sendo esse fato mais acentuado para o carbono orgânico solúvel na solução do solo e no deflúvio. A adubação mineral promoveu o deslocamento de íons trocáveis, em profundidade. A lixiviação foi favorecida, principalmente, no solo sem cobertura vegetal. A movimentação de carbono orgânico solúvel foi maior no solo sob pastagem, apesar do menor teor na solução do solo, em comparação aos outros solos. No curso de água drenado em área de pastagem, também foi encontrada a maior concentração de carbono orgânico solúvel.<br>Intensive land use can change the chemical composition of the soil solution and cause solute losses. Thus, it can alter the chemical composition of water courses. A study was carried out in a farm of EPAMIG in Oratorios, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from June 1996 to May 1997, to evaluate the effect of soil management on the chemical composition of soil solution, taking climatic conditions into consideration. Soluble organic carbon was also determined in the soil solution and in water streams of small watersheds. Soil solution was extracted monthly from soils under different land uses from three layers: 0 to 20, 20 to 40 and 40 to 100 cm. The soil solution was extracted by centrifugation, at a relative centrifuge force of 900 g. Additionally, water samples were collected from four creeks draining out of watersheds under different land uses. A slight increase in the ion concentration was observed in the soil solution in the beginning of the wet season. The changes were pronounced for the soluble organic carbon in the soil solution and water streams. Soil fertilization promoted the displacement of exchangeable ions to the soil solution down through the soil profile. The highest soil leaching was found for the bare soil. The soluble organic carbon movement across the soil profile was higher under pasture, even though its concentration was the lowest compared to the other land uses. The highest soil organic carbon was observed in water of a creek draining out of a pasture watershed.

O cultivo intensivo pode alterar a composição química da solução do solo, favorecendo a perda de solutos. Dessa forma, poderia mudar a composição química dos cursos de água. Foi realizado um estudo na fazenda da EPAMIG em Oratórios, Minas Gerais, de junho de 1996 a maio de 1997, para avaliar o efeito do manejo do solo na composição química da solução do solo, considerando as condições climáticas. O carbono orgânico solúvel também foi determinado na solução do solo e no deflúvio de pequenos cursos de água. Foram realizadas extrações mensais da solução do solo sob diferentes coberturas vegetais, nas camadas de 0-20, 20-40 e 40-100 cm de profundidade. A extração da solução do solo foi feita por centrifugação, a uma força centrífuga relativa correspondente a 900 g. Em acréscimo, foram feitas coletas semanais de deflúvio de quatro pequenos cursos de água com uso variado de suas respectivas áreas de drenagem. Foi observada uma ligeira elevação na concentração de íons em solução com o início do período chuvoso, sendo esse fato mais acentuado para o carbono orgânico solúvel na solução do solo e no deflúvio. A adubação mineral promoveu o deslocamento de íons trocáveis, em profundidade. A lixiviação foi favorecida, principalmente, no solo sem cobertura vegetal. A movimentação de carbono orgânico solúvel foi maior no solo sob pastagem, apesar do menor teor na solução do solo, em comparação aos outros solos. No curso de água drenado em área de pastagem, também foi encontrada a maior concentração de carbono orgânico solúvel. | Intensive land use can change the chemical composition of the soil solution and cause solute losses. Thus, it can alter the chemical composition of water courses. A study was carried out in a farm of EPAMIG in Oratorios, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from June 1996 to May 1997, to evaluate the effect of soil management on the chemical composition of soil solution, taking climatic conditions into consideration. Soluble organic carbon was also determined in the soil solution and in water streams of small watersheds. Soil solution was extracted monthly from soils under different land uses from three layers: 0 to 20, 20 to 40 and 40 to 100 cm. The soil solution was extracted by centrifugation, at a relative centrifuge force of 900 g. Additionally, water samples were collected from four creeks draining out of watersheds under different land uses. A slight increase in the ion concentration was observed in the soil solution in the beginning of the wet season. The changes were pronounced for the soluble organic carbon in the soil solution and water streams. Soil fertilization promoted the displacement of exchangeable ions to the soil solution down through the soil profile. The highest soil leaching was found for the bare soil. The soluble organic carbon movement across the soil profile was higher under pasture, even though its concentration was the lowest compared to the other land uses. The highest soil organic carbon was observed in water of a creek draining out of a pasture watershed.

The study of the different biotic and abiotic processes involved in the current formation of Fe-stromatolites in rivers affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) is essential not only to understand this unique and extreme environment, but also to achieve a better understanding of the past iron formation on the Earth and on Mars. The Fe-stromatolites studied in the highly polluted AMD in Tharsis, SW Spain, revealed a unique mineral assemblage with jarosite and rostite as the most unexpected Fe and Al phases and goethite and schwertmannite as the main constituents. Seasonal variations in this region greatly affected the composition of the precipitates and the distribution of diatoms within the Fe-stromatolites. Drought and flood events were also recognized in the sedimentary textures and in the mineral assemblages observed of particular layers within the Fe-stromatolites. The characterization of the chemical and mineralogical composition of Fe-stromatolites in Tharsis as well as the different formation mechanisms proposed complement the existing literature on newly-formed Fe-stromatolites and provides new observations to increase our understanding of those extreme environments.

La generación de energía eléctrica por oxidación de aluminio produce el catión Al3+ y especies como Al(OH)3, responsables de inducir la floculación en tratamientos de agua. Este artículo busca evidenciar que una celda galvánica Al-H2O2 puede desestabilizar los sólidos suspendidos del agua empleada como electrolito de la celda, para describir un proceso de clarificación que genera energía eléctrica en lugar de consumirla. Así, se elaboró una celda galvánica con ánodo de aluminio, cátodo de grafito, H2O2 como oxidante y una suspensión de arcilla en solución KCl como electrolito que simuló el agua objeto de tratamiento; se evaluó la eliminación de turbidez en la suspensión, la diferencia de potencial y la corriente eléctrica generada. El sistema propuesto eliminó turbidez del agua por floculación y disolución, a la vez que generó en promedio 0,613 V y 8,51 C entregados a una intensidad media de 157 µA. La hidrólisis de aluminio eliminó por floculación el 88,9 ± 1 % de turbiedad y mejoró al 96,6 ± 1 % al añadir H2O2, el cual solubilizó partículas suspendidas, estimuló la liberación de corriente eléctrica y mitigó la caída de voltaje. De esta manera, se presenta un sistema de obtención de energía eléctrica a partir de un tratamiento primario de agua, inducido por subproductos de una transformación directa de energía química a eléctrica. | Electrical energy generation by aluminum oxidation produces Al3+ cation and species like Al(OH)3, responsible for inducing flocculation in water treatment. This paper pretends to evidence that an Al-H2O2 galvanic cell can destabilize the suspended solids of a water used as cell’s electrolyte, in order to describe a clarification process with electrical energy generation instead of consumption. Using an aluminum anode, a graphite cathode, H2O2 as oxidant and a clay suspension in KCl solution as electrolyte that simulated the water to treat, a galvanic cell was made; elimination of turbidity of suspension, potential difference and electrical current generated were evaluated. The proposed system clarified water by flocculation and dissolution, generated an average of 0.613 V and supplied 8.51 C at an average intensity of 157 µA; aluminum hydrolysis eliminated 88.9±1% of turbidity by flocculation, improving to 96.6±1% by addition of H2O2, that solubilized suspended particles, stimulated electrical current generation and mitigated the voltage fall. In this way, its presented a system of obtaining energy from a primary water treatment induced by sub-products of chemical-electrical direct energy transformation.

Os quarenta mil quilômetros quadrados de savana (cerrado) em Roraima vêm sendo substituídos por agricultura, pecuária e florestamento, portanto, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da conversão da savana nativa para plantios de Acacia mangium, com diferentes idades, em diferentes classes de solos e profundidades dos solos nas características químicas, físicas e no teor de água do solo. O trabalho foi conduzido em duas fazendas do Empreendimento Ouro Verde Agrosilvopastoril Ltda, no município do Cantá, RR, em plantios de Acacia mangium com até quatro anos de implantação comparado a condição natural (savana). As áreas situam-se em solos da classe Latossolo Amarelo distrófico (Fazenda Tuquinha) e Argissolo Amarelo distrófico (Fazenda Garimpeira) e as variáveis foram avaliadas nas profundidades de 0 - 30; 30 - 60 e 60 - 90 cm. As variáveis analisadas foram: pH, bases trocáveis, alumínio trocável, H+ + Al3+, fósforo, sódio, Matéria Orgânica do Solo (MOS), granulometria, densidade do solo e teor de água no solo. Em geral, os solos são de baixa fertilidade natural, verificando-se que a implantação de Acaciamangium não apresentou alterações químicas positivas no solo, revelando uma tendência de aumento da umidade do solo coma idade de plantio de Acacia mangium. = The forty thousand square kilometers of savannah (cerrado) in Roraima State, Brazil, are being replaced by agriculture and forestry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of native savanna conversion to plantationsof Acacia mangium at different ages, classes and soil depths on chemical and physical attribute and water content of soil. Thisresearch was done in two farms of Ouro Verde Agrossilvopastoril Ltda., in the city of Cantá – RR, with up to four year oldAcacia mangium crops at Tuquinha`s farm and at Garimpeira`s farm, and in natural savanna conditions. The collected samples were of dystrophic yellow Latosol (Tuquinha farm) and dystrophic yellow Alfi sols (Garimpeira farm) in depths: 0-30; 30-60 and 60-90 cm and submitted to the following analysis: pH, exchangeable bases, exchangeable aluminum, H+ + Al3+, phosphorus, sodium, soil organic matter, particle size, soil density and water content in soil. In general they are low fertility soil, noticing that the introduction of Acacia mangium showed no significant chemical changes in the soil, revealing a trend to increase the soil humidity with the age of the Acacia mangium crop.