Resumo Cruá vermelho é um fruto aromático ainda pouco conhecido, originário da América Tropical, provavelmente do Brasil. É utilizado para fins alimentar, medicinal, repelente de insetos e aromatização de ambientes. Pouco se sabe acerca de suas características nutricionais. Diante do exposto, o presente trabalho visou realizar a caracterização física, físico-química e nutricional do fruto cruá vermelho. Os frutos foram caracterizados quanto a composição centesimal, pH, sólidos solúveis (SS), acidez titulável (AT), cálculo da ingestão diária recomendada (IDR), antocianinas, carotenoides totais, vitamina C e atividade antioxidante da polpa. A estabilidade dos carotenoides, da vitamina C e da cor dos frutos foi acompanhada durante 21 dias de armazenamento sob congelamento a -18 °C. Os carotenoides, a vitamina C e a cor do fruto foram afetados pelo congelamento durante o armazenamento. O fruto apresenta características apreciáveis do ponto de vista nutricional e funcional, uma vez que o consumo diário de 100 g de sua polpa fornece uma apreciável fração de nutrientes recomendados para ingestão diária por um indivíduo adulto. O fruto apresenta um baixo valor calórico, fato interessante para preparações dietéticas, além de apresentar capacidade antioxidante e compostos fitoquímicos de interesse para a saúde humana, como carotenoides e antocianinas. Em relação à preservação dos compostos bioativos apresentados pelo fruto, verificou-se que o congelamento não foi eficaz para a preservação de carotenoides e vitamina C. Diante de todas as características apresentadas, cruá vermelho se apresenta como uma excelente alternativa para inclusão na alimentação humana.

Abstract Musk cucumber (Sicana odorifera Naudin) is a still little-known aromatic fruit native of Tropical America, probably Brazil. It is used as food and insect repellent, for medicinal purposes, and to flavor environments. Little is known about its nutritional characteristics. In this context, this study aimed to perform the physical, physicochemical and nutritional characterization of musk cucumber. The fruits were characterized according to their chemical composition, pH, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), recommended daily intake (RDI), anthocyanins, total carotenoids, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity of the pulp. The stability of carotenoids, vitamin C, and fruit color was monitored for 21 days of frozen storage (-18 °C). Carotenoids, vitamin C, and fruit color were affected by freezing during storage. The fruit has appreciable characteristics from a nutritional and functional point of view, since the daily consumption of 100 g of its pulp provides a significant fraction of nutrients recommended for daily intake by an adult. The fruit presents low caloric value - an interesting fact for dietary preparations, in addition to having antioxidant capacity and phytochemicals of interest to human health, such as carotenoids and anthocyanins. Regarding the bioactive compounds present in the fruit, it was found that freezing was not effective to preserve carotenoids and vitamin C. Given all the characteristics presented, musk cucumber is an excellent alternative for inclusion in human diet.

Abstract The microstructure of the main structural elements (Phoenix columns, transversal beams and tie-rods) of the Simón Bolivar iron bridge, located in Arequipa (Peru), was investigated. The bridge was supposedly designed by Gustave Eiffel and opened to the public in 1882. The characterisation revealed that the columns, beams and tie-rods are made of puddled iron (ferritic matrix of equiaxial grains and numerous slag inclusions). The tensile properties were estimated by hardness and nanohardness measurements, and the tensile strength varied between 285 and 390 MPa and the Young's modulus from 187 to 198 GPa. The components of puddled iron with the same provenance, Phoenix Iron Company, showed typical variations in the chemical composition and microstructure of the slag inclusions. The microanalysis results of the slag inclusions indicated that the wüstite phase presented qualitatively the same composition with pronounced variations in the ratio between V2O5 and TiO2 contents, confirming that a single parameter cannot be used to determine the provenance of iron artefacts. The intense presence of slag inclusions in the puddled iron components (~ 10% in volume fraction) heterogeneously distributed in the iron illustrates the technological limits of the iron refining technique of the time.

National industrial effluent remediation strategies are largely outdated, which makes these processes costly and at the same time inefficient. Among the most worrying compounds are heavy metals, which have bioaccumulative and toxic characteristics to living beings. In addition to these, high nutrient loads constitute a huge environmental problem, since the devastation promoted by eutrophic niches is capable of disrupting complex food chains. This paper presents a bibliographical review of the current researches that are applying biomass from microalgae in effluent bioremediation, both domestic and industrial (mainly the latter, since its pollution potential is abruptly greater). Such strategy is interesting since the diversity of these microorganisms is abundant, propitiating the application of them in various conditions. Another point to be taken into consideration is the fact that many species of microalgae produce large amounts of lipids, many of which have potential application in the production of biodiesel.