In recent decades, antibiotic residues in the environment have increased, affecting components of biological communities, from bacteria to plants and animals. Different methods have been used to ...remove these compounds, including phytoremediation with floating aquatic species such as duckweed and aquatic fern, with positive results. This study analyses information about the removal efficiency of drugs, with a focus on antibiotics, using Lemna and Azolla, which will allow a better understanding of phytoremediation processes from the perspective of plant physiology. The physiological processes of macrophytes in an environment with this type of pollutant and the phytotoxic effects on plants at high concentrations are also analysed. The metabolization of toxic compounds occurs in three phases: phase I begins with the absorption of antibiotics and the secretion of reactive oxygen species (ROS); in phase II, the effects of ROS are neutralized and minimized by conjugation with enzymes such as glutathione transferase or metabolites such as glutathione; and phase III culminates with the storage of the assimilated compounds in the vacuoles, apoplast and cell wall. In this way, plants contribute to the removal of toxic compounds. In summary, there is sufficient scientific evidence on the efficiency of the elimination of pharmaceutical compounds by these floating macrophytes at the laboratory scale, which indicates that their application under real conditions can have good results.
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•Efficient removal of antibiotics from water by Lemna and Azolla•Uptake mechanisms start through the roots.•Metabolism occurs by oxidation, conjugation and storage in the plant.
The present study applies a dental morphological perspective to the understanding of the complex pre-contact population history of the South Central Andes, through the detection of the underlying ...dynamics, and the assessment of the biological ties among groups. It presents an analysis of 1591 individuals from 66 sites that date from the Archaic to the Late Intermediate phases from Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The results suggest this area is characterized by significant movement of people and cultures and, at the same time, by long standing population continuity, and highlight the need for wider perspectives capable of taking into account both the different micro-regional realities and the region in its entirety.
Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) is fast disappearing globally but the drivers of this loss are not fully understood. We present a a case study of how even long-standing and regulated forms of LEK ...are vulnerable to erosion as market forces spread to regions which have historically been peripheral to global markets.We consider changes in knowledge and use of a cultural keystone species, totora, in the Altiplano of Bolivia and Peru around Lake Titicaca. Totora has been used for a variety of purposes and historically its cultivation and planting was regulated by village co-operative councils, called
ayllus
. We argue that a significant decline in the use of totora in the Altiplano along with the disappearance of the regulatory power of
ayllus
have primarily been driven by the integration of the Altiplano into the global market system, which has led to the replacement of totora with industrially manufactured goods, such as plastics and concrete. It has also undermined social bonds as individuals rather than the ayllu become the fundamental agents of economic decision-making.
In this study, wastewater was analyzed for the presence of the antibiotics, tetracycline (Tet) and chloramphenicol (Chlor). Additionally, the antibiotic removal capacities of constructed wetland ...systems, with interacting macrophytes (Lemna gibba and Azolla filiculoides), substrates (sand and silt) and with or without microbial fuel cells (MFCs), were examined. To find the ideal wetland combination, a randomized 23 factorial design was applied, resulting in eight combinations in triplicate. The initial and final concentrations of antibiotics in the aquatic medium and in plants at the end of the experiment were measured with a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) to verify the absorption rate. The results showed average Tet and Chlor concentration in wastewater samples 4.25 ± 3.95 and 1.87 ± 0.07 μg/L, respectively. All wetland types performed efficiently, removing a maximum of 100% tetracycline and chloramphenicol and a minimum of 99.45% and 97.84% Tet and Chlor, respectively. The average absorption of Tet and Chlor was 3.13 and 0.36 μg/g, respectively, in A. filiculoides; and the average absorption of Tet and Chlor was 2.08 and 0.08 μg/g, respectively, in Lemna. L. gibba had a higher biomass increase and a better relative growth rate than Azolla. In relation to electrical production, at first, all treatments were affected by the antibiotics; however, production increased as time progressed. Finally, the physicochemical parameters that improved with treatment were oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential and pH, whereas conductivity, dissolved solids, and salinity were most influenced by the silt substrate. Overall, although no wetland was ideal, all combinations were efficient at removing antibiotic contaminants.
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•Lemna gibba and Azolla filiculoides improve antibiotic removal in a constructed wetland.•MCF help to minimize the negative effect in biomass of Azolla.•A. filiculoides demonstrated to be better than L. gibba in antibiotics plant uptake.•Lemna gibba reached better biomass quantities than Azolla in the experimental units.
Understanding the drivers of conflict and coexistence in human–wildlife relations are critical to conservation. This study sought to understand th varying attitudes of local indigenous people towards ...wildlife, focusing on the Titicaca Grebe (Rollandia microptera), an endangered endemic species found in Lake Titicaca and surrounding waters in the Altiplano of Peru and Bolivia. We used an ethnobiology approach to understand which demographic, sociocultural, and economic factors influenced (a) attitudes and local ecological knowledge (LEK) towards the grebe and (2) their effects on Indigenous–wildlife conflict or coexistence. We used a qualitative, semi-structured questionnaire to interview 221 individuals over six months in villages surrounding Lake Titicaca. Participants primarily consisted of locals from the Aymara, Quechan, and Uro Indigenous groups. We found that most individuals expressed apathy towards the grebe, with a significant minority being hostile towards it. Hostility was concentrated amongst fishers and was driven by economic concerns. Knowledge of the grebe was low in the general population, but higher amongst fishers. There was, however, widespread willingness to conserve the grebe amongst the general population, particularly when informed that the grebe is endemic to the Altiplano. This small environmental education intervention suggested increased positive attitudes and a willingness to conserve the grebe. Non-homogenous perspectives towards the grebe were held within and between indigenous groups, suggesting the need for future research into intra-indigenous group dynamics in indigenous–wildlife relations. Future conservation work on the Titicaca Grebe should focus on reducing grebe-fisher conflict, both real and perceived, and on educating people on the grebe's endemic status.
Water quality of the inner Puno Bay was evaluated; we established 12 stations, and were assessed monthly from December 2010 to April 2011. Physicochemical water parameters were determined with EPA ...and APHA standard methods. Nutrients were determined spectrophotometrically. The parameters of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphates, nitrates and nitrites of water show that the outlet of the stabilization lagoon of Puno City (Espinar Island) is a critical area of contamination at the inner Puno Bay. Transparency values were low. The electrical conductivity of water showed high values. Alkalinity values were high (75 - 150 mg/L) and very high (> 150 mg/L), indicating a high content of carbonates and bicarbonates. Water hardness were high (121-180 mg/L) and very high (> 180 mg/L). High levels of fecal coliform in waters near the island Espinar would be the result of wastewater discharges from the Puno city, without proper treatment.
Water quality of the inner Puno Bay was evaluated; we established 12 stations, and were assessed monthly from December 2010 to April 2011. Physicochemical water parameters were determined with EPA ...and APHA standard methods. Nutrients were determined spectrophotometrically. The parameters of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphates, nitrates and nitrites of water show that the outlet of the stabilization lagoon of Puno City (Espinar Island) is a critical area of contamination at the inner Puno Bay. Transparency values were low. The electrical conductivity of water showed high values. Alkalinity values were high (75 - 150 mg/L) and very high (> 150 mg/L), indicating a high content of carbonates and bicarbonates. Water hardness were high (121- 180 mg/L) and very high (> 180 mg/L). High levels of fecal coliform in waters near the island Espinar would be the result of wastewater discharges from the Puno city, without proper treatment.