Ambiente e Sustentabilidade / Environment and Sustainability
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Browsing Ambiente e Sustentabilidade / Environment and Sustainability by Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) "03:Saúde de Qualidade"
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- 2008 Ano Internacional do Planeta Terra: Terra, saúde e alterações climáticasPublication . Amador, Filomena; Oliveira, Carla Padrel de; Cardoso, Abel; Antunes, Ana PaulaAs causas ambientais de alguns problemas de saúde, relação entre alterações climáticas e saúde e as dinâmicas de algumas doenças emergentes no quadro das relações humanas com o meio ambiente. Visita ao Jardim Tropical de Lisboa, com os Professores Carla Oliveira, docente da Universidade Aberta e Jorge Atouguia, médico especialista em Medicina Tropical.
- An epidemiological approach to characterise the human exposure pathways in a contaminated estuarine environmentPublication . Machado, Ausenda; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Paixão, Eleonora; Caeiro, Sandra; Dias, Carlos MatiasThis study's aim was to develop and implement an integrative epidemiologic cross-sectional study that allows identifying and characterising exposure pathways of populations living and working on the shores of a contaminated estuarine environment. Population residing in Carrasqueira, located on the Sado estuary with known contaminated areas was compared to another population on a noncontaminated estuary (Vila Nova de Mil Fontes - VNMF), considered a nonexposed population. Simple random samples of individuals were selected in each study population from the National Health Service Lists: 140 individuals were selected in Carrasqueira and 219 in VNMF. Participation rates were higher in the exposed group (62.5%, n=102 in Carrasqueira and 48.3%, n=100 individuals in VNMF). The same structured questionnaire was used in both populations, including questions on occupational activities, leisure activities, consumption of food (including fish and mollusks from the estuary) and use of water for human intake and agriculture. Results showed that a significantly higher proportion of Carrasqueira participants reported doing tasks in their job that promote direct (48.8% vs 1.2% in VNMF, p-value<0.001) or indirect (30% vs 11.9% in VNMF, p-value=0.004) contact with water from the estuary. Regarding seafood consumption, the exposed population of Carrasqueira had a higher frequency of consumption of cuttlefish (23.5% vs 9% in VNMF, p-value=0.007), sole (22.5% vs 4% in VNMF, p-value<0.001) and clams (18.6% vs 5.0 in VNMF, p-value=0.004). The comparative study design, with exposed and nonexposed populations living on the shores of two different estuaries allowed us to confirm the hypothesis of a higher risk of contamination from the contaminated estuarine environment. The study design and the selection of both populations were adequate for this type of epidemiologic study of potential routes of human contamination in a mixture of contaminated estuarine environment and can be used in other estuarine areas with similar environmental risk.
- Biochemical endpoints on juvenile Solea senegalensis exposedPublication . Costa, Pedro M.; Caeiro, Sandra; Diniz, Mário S.; Lobo, Jorge; Martins, Marta; Ferreira, Ana M.; Caetano, Miguel; Vale, Carlos; DelValls, T. Ángel; Costa, Maria HelenaJuvenile Solea senegalensis were exposed to fresh sediments from three stations of the Sado estuary (Portugal) in 28-day laboratory assays. Sediments revealed distinct levels of total organic matter, fine fraction, redox potential, trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc) and organic contaminants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and a pesticide: dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane). Organisms were surveyed for contaminant bioaccumulation and induction of two hepatic biochemical biomarkers: metallothionein (MT) and cytochrome P450 (CYP1A), as potential indicators of exposure to metallic and organic contaminants, respectively. Using an integrative approach it was established that, although bioaccumulation is in general accordance with sediment contamination, lethality and biomarker responses are not linearly dependent of the cumulative concentrations of sediment contaminants but rather of their bioavailability and synergistic effects in organisms. It is concluded that metals and organic contaminants modulate both MT and CYP1A induction and it is suggested that reactive oxygen species may be the link between responses and effects of toxicity.
- Bioeconomia uma nova área de desenvolvimento económico (Tópico 3 EDS)Publication . Martinho, Ana Paula; Jacquinet, MarcUma primeira definição da bioeconomia é atribuída a Georgescu-Roegen (1975) num artigo sobre bioeconomia, que defendia uma perspetiva biofísica para a economia, embora esta atribuição não seja consensual entre os investigadores. O entendimento atual da bioeconomia, que foi desenvolvido na última década, está enraizado na ideia de que as matérias-primas industriais (por exemplo, materiais, químicos, energia) devem ser derivadas de recursos biológicos renováveis, utilizando a pesquisa e a inovação para determinar o processo de transformação. Pode-se assim dizer que a noção de Bioeconomia é multifacetada, onde se pode incluir três visões distintas, das quais pelo menos as duas primeiras parecem ser significativamente influenciadas por uma perspetiva de engenharia e ciências naturais. Essas visões de Bioeconomia são: 1. A visão da biotecnologia enfatiza a importância da investigação biotecnológica e a aplicação e comercialização da biotecnologia em diferentes sectores da economia; 2. A visão dos recursos biológicos centra-se no processamento e atualização de matérias-primas biológicas, assim como no estabelecimento de novas cadeias de valor; 3. A visão bio-ecológica destaca a sustentabilidade e os processos ecológicos que otimizam o uso de energia e nutrientes, promovem a biodiversidade e evitam monoculturas e a degradação do solo.
- Co-creating a sustainability performance assessment tool for public sector organisationsPublication . Ramos, Tomás B.; Domingues, Ana Rita; Caeiro, Sandra; Cartaxo, Joana; Painho, Marco; Antunes, Paula; Santos, Rui; Videira, Nuno; Walker, Richard M.; Huisingh, DonaldOrganisations are increasingly being pushed to manage, assess and report their sustainability performance, including public sector organisations (PSO). Several approaches were developed to implement sustainability assessments at the organisation level. However, the majority are still for the private sector and are often not supported by active stakeholder involvement. Several PSO have adapted private-oriented models to assess their sustainability performance, which are often not adequate due to public administration, whose main mission is to provide public services. The present work aims at developing a conceptual framework to support PSO and to assess their sustainability performance. The proposed approach is supported by two sustainability performance assessment systems – Formal and Informal Sustainability Performance Assessment. The Formal Sustainability Performance Assessment system, which is the main focus of this paper, consists of a checklist of objectives and practices and a set of twenty-nine (29) performance indicators. An initial proposal was drawn from the literature review and then assessed through a participatory process involving practitioners and academics in semistructured interviews, questionnaire surveys and a collaborative workshop. The Portuguese central public administration was used as a case study. The developed checklist of objectives and practices and related performance indicators will allow PSO to assess and communicate complex information about organisational sustainability. Reference values support the normalization of indicators’ results, and consequently, the comparison of sustainability-related performance between PSO integrated into the context of the Portuguese central public administration. This research contributes to the debate on organisational sustainability assessment and communication, and the importance of selecting and developing sustainability indicators using co-creation processes with key stakeholders.
- A conceptual model for integrating non-material components in sustainability assessmentPublication . Viégas, Osvaldo; Caeiro, Sandra; Ramos, Tomás B.A adoção do conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável (DS) originou inúmeros sistemas de avaliação da sustentabilidade, para os quais diversos autores têm sugerido a incorporação de componentes não materiais. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal o desenvolvimento de um modelo conceitual para a futura integração desses componentes em sistemas de avaliação da sustentabilidade. A revisão da literatura possibilitou construir um modelo conceitual para os componentes não materiais da sustentabilidade e identificar temas associados. Essa proposta foi analisada em escala local-regional, através de entrevistas semiestruturadas dirigidas a atores-chave no estado de Alagoas e na cidade de Maceió, Brasil. A proposta foi considerada pelos atores envolvidos como genericamente adequada, e foram apresentadas propostas de melhoria e ajuste, para facilitar compreensão e aplicação prática. A análise da percepção dos entrevistados permitiu identificar o vínculo preferencial do termo sustentabilidade com a dimensão ambiental e a restrita referência ao compromisso intergeracional.
- Considerations for integrative environmental assessments of contaminated estuarine sedimentsPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Del Valls, T. Ángel; Chapman, Peter MichaelPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss integrative environmental assessments applicable to estuarine sediments, including the advantages and limitations of different lines of evidence that could form part of such assessments and their application to ecosystem services. Design/methodology/approach – Weight of evident framework integrating multiple lines of evidence for sediment quality assessment. Findings – Integrative environmental assessments are required to fully address the risks to resident fauna of anthropogenic contaminants deposited in estuarine sediments. Originality/value – The paper presents an updated discussion of the methodologies for environmental assessments of contaminated estuarine sediments.
- Development of histopathological indices in a commercial marine bivalvePublication . Costa, Pedro M.; Carreira, S.; Costa, Maria Helena; Caeiro, SandraBivalve histopathology is an acknowledged tool in environmental toxicology studies, however geographically restricted, limited to a few species and still lacking the degree of detail needed to develop effective (semi)quantitative approaches. A first-time detailed histopathological screening was performed on grooved carpet shell clams collected from commercial shellfish beds in distinct coastal ecosystems of the Southern Portuguese coast: two parted sites within an impacted estuary (S1 and S2), an inlet channel of a fish farm at a considered pristine estuary (site M) and a site allocated in a clean coastal lagoon (A). A total of thirty histopathological lesions and alterations were analysed in the gills and digestive glands following a weighted condition indices approach, including inflammation-related responses, necrosis, neoplastic diseases and parasites. Digestive glands were consistently more damaged than gills, except for animals collected from site M, where the most severe lesions were found in both organs, immediately followed by S2. Clams from sites S1 and A were overall the least damaged. Neoplastic diseases were infrequent in all cases. Inflammation-related traits were some of the most common alterations progressing in animals enduring severe lesions such as digestive tubule (diverticula) and intertubular tissue necrosis. Some alterations, such as lipofuscin aggregates within digestive tubule cells, did not relate to histological lesions. Granulocytomas only occurred in heavily infected tissues. Animals from M and A presented the highest infections in the digestive gland, especially by protozoa. Gill infections were more similar between sites. Still, the level of infection does not account for all histopathological lesions in either organ. Overall, the results are in accordance with environmental parameters, such as distance to pollution sources, sediment type and hydrodynamics, and show that the combination of multiple histopathological features in these clams provides good sensitivity for inter-site distinction even when low or moderate anthropogenic impacts are at stake.
- Ecotoxicological heterogeneity in transitional coastal habitatsPublication . Carreira, S.; Costa, Pedro M.; Martins, M.; Lobo, J.; Costa, Maria Helena; Caeiro, SandraTransitional waterbodies, such as estuaries, are highly diversified environments with respect to ecology, geophysics, and nature of anthropogenic impacts. This spatial heterogeneity may pose important constraints when developing monitoring programmes for aquatic pollution. The present study compared three distinct coastal ecosystems located in Southern Portugal (subjected to different anthropogenic stressors), namely, two estuaries and a coastal lagoon, through the characterisation of sediment contamination and a biomarker approach to an important commercial clam (Ruditapes decussatus) obtained from local fishing grounds. The results showed high heterogeneity of sediment contamination for both estuaries and a marked distinction between industrially and agriculturally influenced areas as well as between natural and artificialized sites. Hydrodynamics and oceanic influence (in essence dictating sediment type) play a major role in environmental quality. Environmental heterogeneity constituted an important confounding factor for biomarker analysis in the clams’ digestive glands since the animals appeared to respond to their immediate surroundings’ characteristics rather than the geographical area where they were collected from, despite the relative distance to pollution hot spots. Still, oxidative stress biomarkers (lipid peroxidation and catalase activity) could correlate with each other and to both organic and metallic contamination, whereas metallothionein- like protein induction failed to correlate to any class of sediment toxicants (albeit metals being the most representative pollutants) and appeared to be strongly affected (unlike the previous) by clam size and probably other unknown internal and external variables, among which contaminant interactions should play a major role.
- Environmental risk assessment in a contaminated estuary: an integrated weight of evidence approach as a decision support toolPublication . Caeiro, Sandra; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Martinho, Ana Paula; Costa, P. M.; Silva, M. J.; Lavinha, J.; Dias, Carlos Matias; Machado, A.; Castanheira, I.; Costa, Maria HelenaEnvironmental risk assessment of complex ecosystems such as estuaries is a challenge, where innovative and integrated approaches are needed. The present work aimed at developing an innovative integrative methodology to evaluate in an impacted estuary (the Sado, in Portugal, was taken as case study), the adverse effects onto both ecosystem and human health. For the purpose, new standardized lines of evidence based on multiple quantitative data were integrated into a weight of evidence according to a best expert judgment approach. The best professional judgment for a weight of evidence approach in the present study was based on the following lines of evidence: i) human contamination pathways; ii) human health effects: chronic disease; iii) human health effects: reproductive health; iv) human health effects: health care; v) human exposure through consumption of local agriculture produce; vi) exposure to contaminated of water wells and agriculture soils; vii) contamination of the estuarine sedimentary environment (metal and organic contaminants); viii) effects on benthic organisms with commercial value; and ix) genotoxic potential of sediments. Each line of evidence was then ordinally ranked by levels of ecological or human health risk, according to a tabular decision matrix and expert judgment. Fifteen experts scored two fishing areas of the Sado estuary and a control estuarine area, in a scale of increasing environmental risk and management actions to be taken. The integrated assessment allowed concluding that the estuary should not be regarded as impacted by a specific toxicant, such as metals and organic compounds hitherto measured, but by the cumulative risk of a complex mixture of contaminants. The proven adverse effects on species with commercial value may be used to witness the environmental quality of the estuarine ecosystem. This method argues in favor of expert judgment and qualitative assessment as a decision support tool to the integrative management of estuaries. Namely it allows communicating environmental risk and proposing mitigation measures to local authorities and population under a holistic perspective as an alternative to narrow single line of evidence approaches, which is mandatory to understand cause and effect relationships in complex areas like estuaries.