Postpartum depression is a psychiatric disorder affecting a substantial proportion of newly delivered women, and remains a significant cause of childbirth-related morbidity. The aim of the present thesis was to examine psychological, endocrine and genetic aspects of postpartum depression in a large, population-based sample of women in Uppsala, Sweden. All included studies were undertaken as parts of the BASIC-project, a longitudinal study on psychological wellbeing during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Study participants were screened for depressive symptoms in pregnancy week 17 and 32 as well as at six weeks and six months postpartum, mainly by use of the Swedish version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Furthermore, personality was assessed with the Swedish universities Scale of Personality (SSP) in pregnancy week 32. Evening cortisol levels in saliva were measured in pregnancy week 36 and at six weeks postpartum. Blood samples were obtained to measure corticotropin-releasing hormone levels (CRH) and to perform genetic analyses. The results of this thesis demonstrate that neuroticism is a strong and independent predictive factor of depressive symptoms at six weeks and six months postpartum, and has a significant mediatory role in the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the hydroxysteroid (11-beta) dehydrogenase 1 gene (HSD11B1) and postpartum depression. Furthermore, women with postpartum depressive symptoms present with a dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in terms of elevated cortisol levels postpartum, as well as elevated CRH levels in mid-gestation. In conclusion, this thesis develops current knowledge on several attributes of postpartum depression. Further studies are required to replicate and expand on these results, which would further contribute to early identification of women at risk of postpartum depression and adoption of proper interventions that may moderate the short- and long-term consequences of the disorder.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This study investigates severe weather events occurring in the Midwest, Central, and Northeastern United States from May through September 2004. Severe weather events are pinpointed using tornado and hail reports and correlating them with NEXRAD radar data to determine maximum intensity of the event. Severe storms that occur within 30 minutes of a model forecast hour are catalogued for further investigation. Once these events are diagnosed, ETA-212 and MM5 model data is regridded, centered on the storm. Divergence values at 300 hPa are extracted from the model data for each storm event. These storms are then grouped in three ways: all storms, tornadic storms, and hail producing storms. The averaged maximum divergence values from the ETA-212 for each group are examined from the 0 hour analysis through the 21 hour forecast. From these averaged divergence values, a matrix of recommended divergence threshold values is derived. For the MM5 data, a subset of storms is examined. The MM5 and ETA-212 are run on an identical set of storms, and the divergence forecasts are compared. / Captain, United States Air Force

Neste trabalho foram estudadas as influências sazonais sobre as concentrações de hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos e n-alcanos no material particulado MP10, em novembro de 2001 a junho de 2002 (n = 23), e entre abril de 2003 e maio de 2004 (n=31), em continuidade aos estudos realizados no inverno de 2000 na RMSP. Todas as coletas do aerossol atmosférico ocorreram no Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas da USP, situado na Cidade Universitária, na região oeste da cidade de São Paulo. Os parâmetros meteorológicos como temperatura, precipitação, umidade relativa, direção e velocidade do vento foram monitorados. Em média, nas estações mais frias foram obtidas as maiores concentrações de MP10, HPA e n-alcanos, em concordância com outros estudos. Os dados foram tratados com algumas ferramentas estatísticas, como análise de componentes principais e estudos das razões diagnósticas, sugerindo algumas fontes de emissões e apontando a emissão veicular como fonte majoritária destes poluentes atmosféricos. / The seasonal influences on the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and n-alkanes in the particulate matter PM10 were studied in this work from November 2001 to June 2002 (n = 23), and between April 2003 and May 2004 (n=31), in continuity to the studies accomplished in the winter of 2000 in the metropolitan area of São Paulo (MASP). Atmospheric aerosol samples in this work were collected in an open area on the roof of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences of USP, located in the campus in the University of São Paulo, in the west area of the city of São Paulo. The meteorological parameters, as temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, direction and wind speed were monitored. On average, in the coldest stations they were obtained the largest concentrations of PM10, PAH and n-alkanes, in agreement with other studies. The data were treated with statistical tools such as Principal Component Analysis and studies of the diagnostic ratios, suggesting some sources of emissions and pointing the vehicular emission as majority source of these pollutant ones in the atmospheric.

Entre os componentes orgânicos do material particulado atmosférico, os hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos tem importância pois além de responder positivamente a testes de mutagenicidade como os que utilizam a Salmonella typhimurium, fornecem informações sôbre a origem e a reatividade atmosférica. Em particular os isômeros do nitropireno e nitrofluoranteno são indicadores da poluição veicular (1-nitropireno é emitido diretamente por motores a diesel) ou relacionam-se a reatividade fotoquímica (2-nitrofluoranteno e 2-nitropireno são formados na fase gasosa pela reação dos HPAs precursores com NO2 e radicais OH e NO3). Este estudo teve o objetivo de identificar e quantificar os nitro-HPAs visando a avaliação da contribuição antropogênica e fotoquímica nos estudos dos processos responsáveis pela presença destes nitroarenos na atmosfera em sítios com diferentes características, comparando resultados obtidos nos centros urbanos (emissões diretas) e na floresta Amazônica (possível emissão durante a queima da biomassa). Paralelamente foi avaliada a ocorrência dos HPAs e dos hidrocarbonetos alifáticos saturados. Estes forneceram informações sôbre as principais fontes de emissão dos particulados nos vários sítios, a contribuição relativa das emissões naturais e antropogênicas e o tempo de residência das partículas. Na primeira fase do estudo foi desenvolvida uma metodologia para a separação dos nitro-HPAs, dos hidrocarbonetos alifáticos, HPAs e HPAs oxigenados que são particularmente abundantes no material particulado emitido pelos veículos e durante as queimadas. Esta metodologia foi testada e aperfeiçoada na Itália sôbre amostras coletadas em 3 sítios diferentes por amostradores de grande volume. Após a extração em Soxhlet, foi desenvolvido um método de extração líquida mais simples e rápida que as recentemente publicadas metodologias de separação, baseadas em colunas de alumina básica. A boa separação das classes de compostos mostrou que a metodologia desenvolvida foi adequada para determinação posterior dos HPAs, nitro-HPAs e oxi-HPAs em amostras de composição complexa como aquelas de origem natural, antropogênica e fotoquímica, típicas da Amazônia e São Paulo, que foram posteriormente analisadas. / A detailed knowledge of the organic components of the atmospheric suspended particulate matter is extremely useful for assessing the photochemical reactivity of the atmosphere, long-range transport of polluted air masses and the relative contribution of natural and anthropogenic sources to the total amount of organic matter that can be introduced into man\' s body. Among the organic species is very important the knowledge of the levels reached by nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAH) in general, and particularly nitrofluoranthene (NF a) and nitropyrene (NPy) isomers since these compounds not only provides information on the extent to which anthropogenic sources can contribute to suspended particulate matter but it is also useful for evaluating the photochemical processes occurring in the atmosphere. The possibility to use nitrofluoranthene and nitropyrene as indicators of biogenic emission and photochemical smog pollution associated with the observation that one of them (l-nitropyrene) is directly emitted by vehicular sources whereas the others (2-NFa and 2-NPy) are formed by gas-phase reactions of their parent PAH with OH and N03 radicals in the presence of N02. Another important reason for monitoring nitro-PAH is that they positively respond to mutagenicity tests performed with Salmonella typhimurium Strain TA 98 carried out without activation. This work had the aim of identify and quantify the nitro-PAH to evaluate the anthropogenic and photochemical contribution and study the main processes risponsible for the presence of these nitroarenes in the atmosphere in sites of differents characteristics, comparing the results of urban sites (direct emissions) to the forest sites. It is also important to know the particulate matter composition with respect to n-alkanes and PAH associated with the particulate matter because they provide indication on the main sources contributing to airbome particles, the reI ative contribution of natural vs. man-made emission and the aging of the particles. In the first part of this work a methodology to separate the nitro-PAH from the n-alkanes, PAH and oxy-PAH which are particularly abundant in the particulate matter emitted by the vehicles and during the biomass burning was developed. This new methodology has been tested and improved in Italy on samples from three different sites collected on Hi-vol filters which were submited to Soxhlet extraction and then purified by a new liquid-liquid extraction method which is simpler and faster than the recently published basic alumina based purification procedure. The results indicate the new methodology was suitable to determine the PAH, nitro-PAH and oxy-PAH in samples of complex composition as those from Amazon Basin and São Paulo City which were analysed later.

Introdução: A neurobiologia dos transtornos de ansiedade (TA) é complexa e envolve interações ambientais e genéticas ainda não conhecidas. Esses transtornos, comumente, iniciam durante a infância e adolescência, persistindo ao longo da vida. O comprometimento da resposta biológica frente ao estímulo estressor, encontrado em muitos pacientes com TA, sugere a influência do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-adrenal (HHA) nestes transtornos e, portanto, os polimorfismos associados ao eixo HHA poderiam ser estudados em genes candidatos. Os estudos que almejam entender a etiologia dos TA devem, também, explorar as alterações epigenéticas (incluindo a metilação do DNA) decorrentes das influências ambientais. Objetivos: Estudar, em adolescentes, polimorfismos genéticos funcionais do eixo HHA, interações Gene x Ambiente (G x A) e metiloma do DNA, considerando as diferentes trajetórias dos TA. Métodos: Foi realizada a extração de DNA das células do epitélio bucal de 228 adolescentes (131 casos e 97 controles para os TA) e foram genotipados, por PCR em tempo real, polimorfismos funcionais envolvidos com o eixo HHA (FKBP5: rs3800373, rs9296158, 3800373, rs9296158, 3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 rs1360780, rs9470080 e rs4713916; NR3C1NR3C1 : rs6198;: rs6198;: rs6198; NR3C2NR3C2 : rs2070951;: rs2070951;: rs2070951; CRHR1CRHR1 CRHR1 : rs878886 : rs878886 e SERPINA6 SERPINA6 : rs746530) : rs746530) . Os participantes responderam à escala auto-aplicativa SCARED (Screen for Children Anxiety Related Emotional Disorder – Children rated) e realizaram entrevistas semiestruturadas para avaliação diagnóstica utilizando o K-SADS-PL (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime). O questionário CTQ (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) foi aplicado em 90 adolescentes (54 casos e 36 controles para os TA) para avaliar a interação entre o trauma emocional e o polimorfismo do gene NR3C2 nos níveis séricos de BDNF. Uma subamostra de adolescentes (n=47) foi reavaliada, cinco anos após a primeira coleta, através das mesmas entrevistas psiquiátricas e nova extração de DNA salivar. Alguns participantes, na última avaliação, responderam ao MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) apropriado para a idade atual. A amostra foi organizada em 4 grupos, conforme o diagnóstico dos TA e o ano da coleta de saliva (anos de 2008 e 2013): (1) Desenvolvimento típico da adolescência (Controle; n=14); (2) Incidentes para os TA (ITA; n=11); (3) Persistentes para os TA (Caso; n=14) e (4) Remitentes para os TA (RTA; n=08). O metiloma do DNA foi analisado com o Infinium HumanMethylation 450 BeadChip da Illumina. Resultados: Não foi encontrada associação entre os polimorfismos estudados e os TA. Em relação à interação G x A, sugere-se que o polimorfismo rs2070951 do gene NR3C2 modera a associação entre negligência física e os níveis séricos de BDNF. Do ponto de vista epigenético, foi observada, nos grupos ITA e RTA, vias biológicas com padrão homogêneo e relacionadas ao sistema nervoso. Já nos grupos casos e controles para os TA, foram evidenciadas vias biológicas com padrão mais heterogêneo. Um perfil de hipometilação do DNA foi predominante nas vias encontradas. Na análise transversal, nós encontramos padrões opostos de metilação do DNA, conforme o período desenvolvimental avaliado: hipometilação no início da adolescência e hipermetilação em jovens adultos. Conclusão: Esse estudo abordou, em uma amostra de adolescentes, aspectos genéticos (genes candidatos envolvidos com o eixo HHA), ambientais (trauma emocional) e epigenéticos (metiloma do DNA) dos TA. Os achados sugerem que, embora sem associações entre os TA e genes envolvidos no eixo HHA, existe uma interação entre a presença de trauma emocional, polimorfismo genético do eixo HHA e marcadores biológicos. Os achados do metiloma do DNA sugerem, também, influências epigenéticas no curso dos TA. Novos estudos devem ser delineados para corroborar as influências genéticas e ambientais neste transtorno. / Background: The neurobiology of Anxiety Disorders (AD) is complex and involves environmental and genetic interactions understood. These disorders may have their onset during childhood and adolescence, persisting throughout life. The impairment of biological response against the stressor stimulus, described in many patients with AD, suggests a possible role of genetic polymorphisms of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in these individuals. Studies that aim to understand the etiology of AD should also explore the epigenetic changes (including DNA methylation) arising from environmental influences. Objective: To study, in adolescents, functional genetic polymorphisms of HPA axis, Gene x Environment (G x E) interactions and DNA methylome, considering different AD outcomes. Methods: Saliva DNA was extracted from 228 adolescents (131 cases and 97 controls to AD) and we genotyped, by real time PCR, the functional polymorphisms involved with HPA axis (FKBP5: rs3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; 3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; 3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; 3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; 3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; 3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; 3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, rs9470080 and rs4713916; NR3C1NR3C1 : rs6198; : rs6198; : rs6198; NR3C2NR3C2 : rs2070951; : rs2070951; CRHR1CRHR1CRHR1 CRHR1: rs878886 and : rs878886 and : rs878886 and : rs878886 and SERPINA6 SERPINA6 SERPINA6SERPINA6 : rs746530) : rs746530) . Participants responded to the scale self-applied Screen for Children Anxiety Related Emotional Disorder – Children rated (SCARED) and were diagnosed according to the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime (K-SADS-PL). The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was applied in 90 adolescents (54 cases e 36 controls to AD) to evaluate the interaction between emotional trauma and the NR3C2 polymorphism in the serum levels of BDNF. A sub-sample of adolescents (n = 47) was reassessed five years after the first evaluation by the same psychiatric semi-structured interviews and new extraction salivary DNA was performed. Some participants in the last evaluation responded to Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), which is a semi structure interview appropriate for the present age. The sample was organized in four groups according to the diagnosis of AD and the year of saliva collection (2008 and 2013): (1) Typically Developing Controls (TDC; n = 14); (2) Incident Anxiety Disorder (IAD; n = 11); (3) Persistent Anxiety Disorder (PAD; n = 14); (4) Remittent Anxiety Disorder (RAD; n = 8). DNA methylome was evaluated with Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Results: We did not find any association between the genetic polymorphisms and AD. Considering the G x E interaction we suggest that rs2070951 polymorphism of NR3C2 gene moderates the association between physical neglect and serum BDNF levels. When we evaluated the DNA methylome, we observed more homogeneous biological pathways and mostly related with nervous system in individuals from IAD and RAD groups. On the other hand, in the TDC and PAD groups, we found biological pathways with a more heterogeneous pattern. A DNA hypomethylation profile was found predominant in the pathways. In a cross-sectional analysis, we found opposite patterns of DNA methylation, as the developmental period assessed: hypomethylation at the beginning of adolescence and hypermethylation in young adults. Conclusion: This study addressed, in an adolescent sample, genetics (candidate genes linked to HPA axis), environmental (emotional trauma) and epigenetic (DNA methylome) aspects of AD. The findings suggest that although there are no associations between AD and genes involved in HPA axis, there is an interaction between the presence of trauma, genetic polymorphism involved in this axis and biomarkers. The DNA methylome findings also suggest epigenetic influences on the course of TA. Further studies should be designed to corroborate the genetic influences in this disorder.

La dépression majeure (DM) est une pathologie complexe et hétérogène associée avec des altérations du réseau cérébral, une dérégulation de l’axe hypothalamus-pituitaire-surrénales et avec des déficits de la neurogenèse adulte hippocampique (NHA). De nombreuses évidences pointent sur l’implication de la NHA dans les troubles de l’humeur et les troubles anxieux, ce qui a conduit à la formulation de l’ « hypothèse neurogénique », laquelle postule que des neurones néo-formés dans l’hippocampe du sujet adulte sont impliqués dans l’étiologie et dans l’efficacité du traitement de la DM. L’objectif de cette étude a été de déterminer le rôle des neurones formés à l’âge adulte après que les animaux aient été exposés à un stress ainsi que les mécanismes sous-jacents. Nos résultats suggèrent que l’augmentation de la neurogenèse est suffisante pour estomper les effets d’un stress chronique au niveau comportemental et hormonal, et donc pour induire un effet de type antidépresseur, comportementalement et physiologiquement. Les effets surviennent sans doute via le noyau du lit de la strie terminale antéro-dorsale. / Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex and heterogeneous disorder hypothesized to be associated with alterations in brain circuitry, dysregulations of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and impairments in adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN). Multiple lines of evidence point to the involvement of AHN in mood and anxiety disorders, leading to the formation of the “neurogenesis hypothesis”, which postulates that adult-born hippocampal neurons are involved in the etiology and treatment efficacy of MDD. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of adult-born neurons after the onset of stress exposure and the mechanism that underlies the observed results. Our results suggest that increasing neurogenesis is sufficient to buffer against the effects of chronic stress on certain behavioral and endocrine levels and thus to display antidepressant-like effects, both behaviorally and physiologically. Adult-born neurons might have exerted some of their effects via the anteromedial division of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTMA).

Daily rhythms in physiology and behaviour are orchestrated by theautonomously rhythmic cells of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).Restricting food intake to the rest phase of nocturnal rodents, leads to thedevelopment of meal anticipatory behaviour, corticosterone and bodytemperature. Given that lesions to the SCN fail to abolish meal anticipation, asecond oscillator of unknown location, referred to as the food-entrainableoscillator (FEO) is thought to exist. Although the site of the FEO is unknown,several hypothalamus nuclei, including the dorsomedial hypothalamus(DMH) are thought to play a role in meal anticipation. Given thatadrenalectomy is reported to abolish meal anticipation, an intact HPA axis isalso thought to contribute to the functioning of the FEO. Some forms ofobesity are characterised by high basal levels of circulating corticosterone. Inaddition, limited access to high fat diet, fails to induce the development ofrobust meal anticipation in rats. During our initial studies, the effect of a standard and 45% high fat diet onthe development of meal anticipatory behaviour and hypothalamic c-Fosexpression were investigated. Restricted access to high fat diet led toattenuation of meal anticipation compared to those fed standard diet. Thiswas concurrent with a failure to develop an anticipatory rise in DMH c-Fosexpression. A meal anticipatory rise in corticosterone is thought to benecessary for the presence of meal anticipation as well as adaptation ofmetabolism to daily restricted feeding. In the next set of studies, weconfirmed that restricted access to standard diet leads to the development ofa meal anticipatory rise in plasma corticosterone. In contrast we observed adramatic post-anticipatory rise in plasma corticosterone in rats givenrestricted access to the 45% high fat diet. We hypothesised that the highcorticosterone levels resulting from high fat diet were a contributing factor tothe lack of meal anticipation in high fat fed rats. With the aid of apharmacokinetic study, a suitable experiment was designed for daily dosingof a potent glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU486, with the aim ofrescuing meal anticipation in high fat fed rats. Interestingly, treatment withRU486 successfully rescued meal anticipation in high fat fed rats, butattenuated meal anticipation in standard diet restricted fed rats. In the finalseries of studies the effect of diet and feeding regime on glucose toleranceand metabolism were investigated. High fat feeding was found to reduceglucose tolerance in both ad lib and restricted fed rats, with RU486 treatmentimproving glucose tolerance in a time dependant manner. Restricted accessto food was found to induce post satiation lipogenesis in both standard dietfed and to a lesser extent in high fat fed rats, an effect which may bebeneficial in reducing obesity. Overall the results provide further insight intothe complex role of corticosterone in promoting or preventing mealanticipatory behaviour. An anticipatory rise in plasma corticosterone isrequired for meal anticipation, as repeated daily dosing of RU486 inhibit mealanticipation. The high basal levels of corticosterone in high fat fed rats mayprevent meal anticipation, insulin secretion and post-satiation lipogenesiswhich may in fact be a homeostatic mechanism to prevent obesity. Nonetheless, treatment with RU486 rescues behavioural meal anticipationand glucose tolerance.

Estudos ambientais têm demonstrado que substâncias geradas por processos antropogênicos podem causar efeitos prejudiciais interferindo no equilíbrio natural do ecossistema. Manguezais exercem funções essenciais nos ciclos biológicos e constituem Área de Proteção Permanente no Brasil. Infelizmente, eles estão sendo degradados acima do seu limite de suporte, levando a uma redução das áreas remanescentes no mundo. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados de mutagenicidade e genotoxicidade observados em quatro amostragens (PI, V, O e PII) entre 2009 e 2010, relacionados com metais e hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos (HPA) em sedimento de mangue para a caracterização dos valores de referência. Os testes de genotoxicidade foram feitos a partir de hemócitos do caranguejo Goniopsis cruentata, coletados em um ecossistema potencialmente não poluído do Brasil, localizado no sul do Rio de Janeiro (Parati/RJ), chamado de "Saco do Mamanguá". Coleta, armazenamento e manipulação dos sedimentos e material biológico de cinco pontos de amostragem (M1- M5) foram processados de acordo com normas norte-americanas reconhecidas. A identificação das substâncias químicas foi realizada com extratos de sedimentos e utilizada no bioensaio Salmonella/microssoma (Kado). A avaliação de potenciais danos genotóxicos estabelecidos foi realizada através do Teste de Micronúcleo, que apresentou valores significativos na amostra V. Resultados negativos foram observados para as cepas de Salmonella typhimurium TA97, TA98, TA100 e TA102, tanto na ausência quanto na presença de fração de metabolização exógena de mamíferos (S9 mix 4%) em todas as análises. A quantificação por cromatografia gasosa com detecção por espectrometria de massas dos 16 HPA prioritários em termos de conservação ambiental apresentou valores baixos nas duas primeiras amostragens (PI e V) e nulos nas coletas seguintes (O e PII), nos mesmos pontos. De acordo com os valores utilizados nos Estados Unidos e Canadá como referência, os detectados por nós não são considerados como toxicantes ambientais positivos, com exceção do Benzo(a)pireno, que em M1V apresentou valores um pouco acima do limite a partir do qual já podem ser observados pequenos efeitos na biota. A análise dos metais (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb e Zn) por Espectrometria de Absorção Atômica inicialmente realizada com a água intersticial foi melhor interpretada a partir da matriz sedimento. Este estudo contribuirá com a implementação de indicadores para valores de referência em mangue. / Environmental studies have shown that substances generated by anthropogenic processes can cause adverse effects by interfering with the ecosystem natural balance. Mangroves perform essential functions in biological cycles and are Permanent Protection Area in Brazil. Unfortunately, they are being degraded above its support limit, leading to a reduction of the remaining areas in the world. This paper presents the results of mutagenicity and genotoxicity observed in four samples (PI, V, O, and PII) between years 2009 and 2010 linked to metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mangrove sediment in order to characterize reference values. The genotoxicity tests were made from the hemocytes Goniopsis cruentata collected in a potential unpolluted ecosystem of Brazil, located in the southern Rio de Janeiro (Parati/RJ), called "Saco do Mamanguá. Collection, storage, manipulation of sediment and biological material from five sampling sites (M1-M5) were processed according to U.S. standards recognized. The identification of the chemicals was performed with extracts of sediments and bioassay used in the Salmonella / microsome (Kado). The assessment of potential genotoxic damage were done down through the Micronucleus Test, and showed significant values in the sample V. Negative results were observed for the Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, TA100 and TA102, both in the absence or presence of exogenous fraction of mammalian metabolism (S9 mix 4%) for all analysis. Quantification by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the 16 priority PAHs in terms of environmental conservation, presented low values in the first two samples (V and PI) and null value in the following collections (and the IIP), in the same points. According to United States and Canada references, we detected chemicals not regarded as a positive environmental toxicants, with the exception of benzo(a)pyrene, which showed values in M1V just above the threshold at which already small effects can be observed in the biota. The analysis of metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry initially performed with the pore water was best interpreted from the sediment matrix. This study will contribute to the implementation of indicators to benchmarks in the swamp.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-22T22:02:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Alcinei Pereira Lopes.pdf: 3280697 bytes, checksum: 535d2d7812f1764295a9b8c14b85a386 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The waters of the Rio Negro, in the border city of Manaus, receives large amounts of domestic and industrial waste from its main tributaries (Tarumã-Acu, Sao Raimundo, Pupils and Puraquequara) that may be compromising their natural features (water, plants, sediments and etc.). Due the ability to accumulate organic and inorganic compounds, the bottom sediments are used to assess the contamination levels of aquatic environments. As a result, we determined the concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and potentially toxic metals (MPT) in ten samples of bottom sediments collected in March 2009 in the confluence between the Rio Negro and major watersheds the city of Manaus. The aim of study was to classify the origin and level of contamination of these compounds. In the determination of hydrocarbons, sediments were freeze dried, extracted with hexane, fractionated by open column liquid chromatography. The determination of aliphatic hydrocarbons was performed by GC-FID and the PAH by GC-MS. After digestion with aqua regia the MPT (Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd and Mn) in total fraction of sediments were determined by ICP-OES. The results showed that concentrations of total aliphatic hydrocarbons were 13.4 to 448 mg g-1, and the sum of 38 PAHs was 58.8 to 6832 ng g-1. These values are considered high for natural aquatic environments that have not suffered oil spill accidents. Among the metals determined Al (32 091 mg kg-1) and Fe (35 474 mg kg-1) were those with the highest concentrations.The sediments that received the largest anthropogenic contribution were those collected at the entrance of the basin of the streams São Raimundo and Educandos. The diagnosis index hydrocarbons the origin of in sediments showed a predominance of mixed sources and petrogenic sources in most seasons / As águas do rio Negro na orla urbana de Manaus recebem grande quantidade de resíduos domésticos e industriais de seus principais afluentes (Tarumã-Açu, São Raimundo, Educandos e Puraquequara) que podem estar comprometendo suas características naturais (água, plantas, sedimentos e etc). Por ter a capacidade de acumular compostos orgânicos e inorgânicos, os sedimentos de fundo são utilizados na avaliação dos níveis de contaminação de ambientes aquáticos. Em virtude disso, foram determinados as concentrações de hidrocarbonetos alifáticos, hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos (HPA) e metais em dez amostras de sedimentos de fundo, coletadas em março de 2009 nas confluências entre o rio Negro e as principais bacias de drenagem da cidade de Manaus. O estudo tem o objetivo de classificar a origem e o nível de contaminação destes compostos. Nas determinações de hidrocarbonetos, os sedimentos foram liofilizados, extraídos em soxhlet, fracionados por cromatografia líquida de coluna aberta. A determinação de hidrocarbonetos alifáticos foi realizada por CG-DIC e os HPA por CG-EM. Apos digestão com água régia, os metais (Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, V, Cd e Mn) presentes na fração total dos sedimentos foram determinados por ICP-OES. Os resultados mostraram que as concentrações dos hidrocarbonetos alifáticos totais foram de 13,4 a 448 μg g-1, e a somatória dos 38 HPA foi de 58,8 a 6832 ng g-1. Esses valores são considerados elevados para ambientes aquáticos naturais que não sofreram acidentes de derrame de óleo. Entre os metais determinados o Al (32091 mg kg-1) e o Fe (35474 mg kg-1) foram os que apresentaram as maiores concentrações. Os sedimentos que receberam a maior contribuição antrópica foram daqueles coletados na entrada da bacia dos igarapés São Raimundo e Educando. Os índices de diagnósticos da origem de ix hidrocarbonetos nos sedimentos mostraram predominância de fontes petrogênica e fontes mistas na maioria das estações.

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