The Global Horizon Scanning Project (GHSP) is an innovative initiative that aims to identify important global environmental quality research needs. Here we report 20 key research questions from Latin America (LA). Members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) LA and other scientists from LA were asked to submit research questions that would represent priority needs to address in the region. One hundred questions were received, then partitioned among categories, examined, and some rearranged during a workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Twenty priority research questions were subsequently identified. These research questions included developing, improving, and harmonizing across LA countries methods for 1) identifying contaminants and degradation products in complex matrices (including biota); 2) advancing prediction of contaminant risks and effects in ecosystems, addressing lab-to-field extrapolation challenges, and understanding complexities of multiple stressors (including chemicals and climate change); and 3) improving management and regulatory tools toward achieving sustainable development. Whereas environmental contaminants frequently identified in these key questions were pesticides, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors or modulators, plastics, and nanomaterials, commonly identified environmental challenges were related to agriculture, urban effluents, solid wastes, pulp and paper mills, and natural extraction activities. Several interesting research topics included assessing and preventing pollution impacts on conservation protected areas, integrating environment and health assessments, and developing strategies for identification, substitution, and design of less hazardous chemicals (e.g., green chemistry). Finally, a recurrent research need included developing an understanding of differential sensitivity of regional species and ecosystems to environmental contaminants and other stressors. Addressing these critical questions will support development of long-term strategic research efforts to advance more sustainable environmental quality and protect public health and the environment in LA. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;00:000–000. © 2018 SETAC

In this study, the impact of applied solids retention time (SRT) on the biological performance of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treating synthetic dairy wastewater with high lipid content was assessed. Two side-stream AnMBR systems were operated at an SRT of 20 and 40 days (R20 and R40, respectively), equipped with an inside-out tubular membrane operated in cross-flow mode under full-scale operational conditions, i.e. crossflow velocity, transmembrane pressure, membrane flux. Successful operation was achieved and removal efficiencies of both reactors were up to 99% applying an organic loading rate (OLR) of 4.7 g COD L^-1 d^-1. No precipitation of lipids was observed throughout the operational period, keeping the lipids available for the anaerobic degradation. Long chain fatty acid (LCFA) accumulation was very modest and amounted 148 and 115 mg LCFA-COD per gram of volatile suspended solids (VSS) for R20 and R40, respectively. At an SRT of 40 days, a slightly better biological conversion was obtained. Periodically performed specific methanogenic activity (SMA) tests showed stabilization of the SMA for R40 sludge, whereas for R20 sludge the SMA continued to decrease. This study revealed a more stable reactor performance operating the AnMBR at an SRT of 40 days compared to 20 days.

The Uruguay River is the second most important river in the R?o de la Plata Basin. Taxonomical composition, abundance and distribution of cyanobacteria collected at nine sampling stations in the Lower Uruguay River (Uruguay) were analyzed seas...

The ecosystem services provided by earthworms are lost when land management reduces their populations, hence, the importance of thorough assessments of management effects on this group. The present study aimed to: (1) review the possible influence of other ingredients within the formulations of two commercial fungicides; (2) assess the sublethal effects of these commercial fungicides on Eisenia fetida; and (3) assess the acute lethal effects of one commercial fungicide on both Glossoscolex rione and E. fetida. Examining all components of the studied commercial formulations revealed that alongside the toxic active ingredients are other ingredients that are equally as or more toxic than the former and may even be in higher concentrations. The inhibition concentration of 10% of E. fetida’s progeny (IC₁₀) was estimated at 133 mg kg⁻¹ for PROSARO^® and 1544 mg kg⁻¹ for SWING PLUS^®. Both fungicides showed an effect of hormesis on the progeny. In this first toxicity study with G. rione, it was found that this species is more sensitive to PROSARO^® than E. fetida, with preliminary 14 day-lethal concentrations of 285 mg kg⁻¹ for the former and >1000 mg kg⁻¹ for the latter.

Synthetic dyes in watercourses resulting from industrial effluent discharges cause serious ecological impacts, besides carcinogenic and mutagenic effects on human health. Thus, it is important to develop effective methods to remove the dyes from industrial wastewaters, and also to carry out adequate toxicity studies to establish their safety. Azo dyes are the main class of industrial dyes and important environmental contaminants. We have examined the decolorization of two azo dyes (Acid Red 88 and Acid Black 172) by a native Trametes villosa laccase immobilized on thiolsulfinate-agarose as well as the effect of different redox mediators in the reactions. The method was effective for the decolorization of both dyes. The immobilization method did not affect the capacity of the biocatalyst for dye degradation. Therefore, the insoluble enzyme removed 97% of the color of AR88 and 92% of AB172 in 24 hours at 22 °C in the presence of the selected redox mediators, vanillin (0.1 mM) and violuric acid (1.0 mM), respectively. In addition, the immobilized enzyme kept 78% of its initial capacity for decolorization of AR88 after three cycles of use. The ecotoxicological evaluation of the solutions showed a great variation depending on the biological systems used. In the phytotoxicity test, the decolorization products were not toxic to plants, whereas in Daphnia magna and Microtox® bioassays an acute residual toxicity was found. The last outcome shows the importance of using a battery of bioassays to determine the remaining ecotoxicity of the treated effluents before their discharge into the aquatic environment.