Use of plant materials for the bioremediation of soil from an industrial site.

Bioremediation is one of the existing techniques applied for treating oil-contaminated soil, which can be improved by the incorporation of low-cost nutritional materials. This study aimed to assess the addition of two low-cost plant residues, sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and leaf litter (LL) of the forest leguminous plant (sabiá), either separately or combined, to a contaminated soil from a petroleum refinery area, analyzed after 90 days of treatment. Individually, both amounts of SCB (20 and 40 g kg) favored the growth of total heterotrophic bacteria and total fungi, while LL at 20 g kg better stimulated the hydrocarbon-degrading microorganism's activity in the soil.

Benzene as a Chemical Hazard in Processed Foods.

This paper presents a literature review on benzene in foods, including toxicological aspects, occurrence, formation mechanisms, and mitigation measures and analyzes data reporting benzene levels in foods. Benzene is recognized by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as carcinogenic to humans, and its presence in foods has been attributed to various potential sources: packaging, storage environment, contaminated drinking water, cooking processes, irradiation processes, and degradation of food preservatives such as benzoates. Since there are no specific limits for benzene levels in beverages and food in general studies have adopted references for drinking water in a range from 1-10 ppb.

Amperometric immunosensor for detecting Schistosoma mansoni antibody.

An immunosensor for detecting the antibody anti-apyrase of Schistosoma mansoni based on rigid composite materials, containing graphite powder and epoxy resins, developed in this work, is described. A surface modification strategy for the use of oxidized graphite in the detection of antibody-antigen interaction was developed. This modification strategy is based on silanization of conductive composite.