Microplastics (MPs) are a pervasive environmental threat due to their persistence, bioavailability, and toxicity. In marine environments, MPs are widely distributed and ingested by fish, posing risks to human consumers. This study examined how ecological and anthropogenic factors—body size, water column position, seasonality, and human impact—influence MP concentrations in the muscle and digestive tissues of coastal fish from southeastern Brazil. We hypothesized that fish from more impacted environments would contain higher MP levels; that pelagic species would ingest more MPs due to particle buoyancy; and that ingestion would be higher in summer and in larger fish due to seasonal and size-related factors. Additionally, we hypothesized that MP loads would be higher in digestive tissues than in muscle, given limited translocation capacity. Four commercially important species (Caranx crysos, Sardinella aurita, Menticirrhus americanus, and Micropogonias furnieri) were collected from two bays with contrasting anthropogenic influences—Sepetiba (more impacted) and Ilha Grande (less impacted)—during summer and winter. Digestive tracts and muscle tissues were digested, vacuum-filtered, and analyzed using microscopy and micro-FTIR. MPs were detected in all species and in 83.1
Microplastic (MP) pollution is ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, but comparative analyses across wetland types and fish life histories are still rare. This study compares microplastic contamination in killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) with contrasting life histories: annual (Notholebias minimus, Leptopanchax opalescens) vs. perennial (Kryptolebias ocellatus; Kryptolebias hermaphroditus), across two wetland types (temporary ponds vs. mangroves) on the coastal plain of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The tested hypothesis is that small annual fishes in temporary wetlands exhibit lower microplastic contamination than perennial mangrove species, due to lower hydrological connectivity and shorter exposure time. Fishes were digested (KOH solution), vacuum filtered, and analysed using microscopy and µ-FTIR. Microplastics were detected in all species and 60.5
Landfill leachate is an environmental hazard requiring appropriate management and treatment. It is commonly co-treated with municipal wastewater at wastewater treatment plants. However, this approach produced environmentally harmful components associated with the increase in the color of the effluent and elevated levels of dissolved organic matter (DOM). This study aimed to assess the efficiency of applying a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) followed by a granular activated carbon (GAC) column for the co-treatment of wastewater and leachate, where the system was monitored for 490 days. No previous studies have utilized a biological process followed by adsorption to treat wastewater with leachate over an extended period. The addition of landfill leachate increased the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content, true color, UV254nm absorbance, and specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) of the raw wastewater. The integrated SBR-GAC system demonstrated a high treatment efficiency, achieving 90
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of broiler breeder age on the growth performance, nutrient metabolism, and intestinal histomorphometry of the progeny during early life. A total of 180 one-day-old Cobb 500® chicks, with an average initial body weight of 45.82 ± 2.21 g, were assigned to a completely randomized design with three treatments, six replicates, and 10 birds per replicate. The treatments consisted of chicks derived from broiler breeders aged 39, 51, and 69 weeks. Productive performance, gastrointestinal tract histomorphometry, and nutrient metabolism were evaluated. Chicks originating from older breeders (69 weeks) presented superior growth performance, whereas those from younger breeders (39 weeks) presented greater nutrient metabolism. With respect to intestinal morphology, progeny from older breeders presented more developed intestinal structures at 1 and 21 days of age, whereas at 7 days of age, chicks from younger breeders presented more pronounced intestinal morphometric characteristics. Broiler breeder age influences the early performance, intestinal development, and nutrient metabolism of progeny. Older breeders favor early growth and intestinal maturation, whereas younger breeders enhance protein metabolism, highlighting the relevance of breeder age in early broiler management. These findings provide integrated evidence linking breeder age to growth performance, intestinal development, and nutrient metabolism during early life.
Bacterial diseases associated with the Mollicutes class can lead to decreased milk production and reproductive disorders in cattle, causing significant economic losses and compromising animal welfare. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Mollicutes and Ureaplasma diversum in the reproductive tract of dairy cows and determine the associated risk factors, as well as identify circulating strains of Ureaplasma in herds. Vaginal swab samples from 392 lactating cows were subjected to generic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Mollicutes detection and specific PCR for U. diversum identification. An epidemiological questionnaire was used to analyze the risk factors. Positive samples for U. diversum were sequenced from the intergenic region 16–23 S rRNA and multiple alignments were performed to generate a phylogram. The geographical coordinates of the municipalities where the herds were located were used for the phylogeographic analysis. Mollicutes and U. diversum were detected in 45.4
