Publications by authors named "Leandro D Battirola"

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (MAPEOs) are considered to be one of the main sources of mercury release into the environment. Considering the gold mining activities, this study evaluated the Hg concentration in 27 apiaries (Apis spp.) in the South of the Legal Amazon, Mato Grosso State, Brazil.

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Mercury (Hg) is a non-essential trace metal, toxic to living beings and complex to quantify and mitigate in the environment. In this study, 25 plant species native to an Amazon-Cerrado transition area were tested for use in Hg remediation. Species identification, Hg quantification in plant biomass and soil at each sampling point, and evaluation of Hg compartmentalization in each plant were carried out.

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Article Synopsis
  • Toxic metal pollution, specifically cadmium and mercury, significantly impacts the Amazon rainforest by degrading water, soil, and air quality, which harms both the environment and human health.
  • The study focuses on the effects of these metals on the bacterial community associated with a newly identified species of millipede, Brachyurodesmus albus, highlighting the diversity of bacteria and their potential metabolic pathways altered by metal contamination.
  • Findings reveal that the presence of cadmium and mercury changes the composition and abundance of bacteria in B. albus, which could provide insights into developing strategies to mitigate metal toxicity in plants.
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The lack of synthesized information regarding biodiversity is a major problem among researchers, leading to a pervasive cycle where ecologists make field campaigns to collect information that already exists and yet has not been made available for a broader audience. This problem leads to long-lasting effects in public policies such as spending money multiple times to conduct similar studies in the same area. We aim to identify this knowledge gap by synthesizing information available regarding two Brazilian long-term biodiversity programs and the metadata generated by them.

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The spatial distribution and dispersion of mercury (Hg) is associated with the structural conditions of the environment, primarily land use and vegetation cover. Man-made emissions of the metal from activities such as artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) can influence this distribution. Forest ecosystems are of particular importance as they constitute one of the most active environments in the biogeochemical cycle of Hg, and understanding these dynamics is essential to better understand its global cycle.

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Aquatic plants are considered to be important remedial agents in aquatic environments contaminated by metals. The Salvinia biloba macrophyte was evaluated in relation to its removal kinetics, adsorption capacity, and toxicology, aiming at its application in the removal of Cd and Pb ions from aqueous solutions. A batch-type system was used, in which the plants were cultivated in microcosms containing nutritive solution and metallic ions, stored in a controlled environment (pH, temperature, and luminosity).

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Plant-based materials are promising adsorbents for treating liquid effluents. This study describes the kinetic and equilibrium parameters that best represent the copper(II) and lead(II) removal process by Eichhornia crassipes (Aguapé) dry biomass from aqueous solution, using a batch adsorption system. The plants were washed, dried, and reduced to small particles.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzed the arthropod community associated with six Attalea phalerata palm trees in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso during high water conditions in February 2001, using canopy fogging methods.
  • A total of 63,657 arthropods were collected, with the most abundant groups being Acari, Coleoptera, and Psocoptera, showcasing a rich diversity across 25 orders.
  • The research found that the hydrological regime, particularly the flood pulse, significantly influences both the composition and structure of the arthropod community in the palm canopies.
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