Abstract Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) is the main vector of some neglected diseases, including dengue. It is very important to develop formulations that increase effectiveness of vector control with low toxicity. Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid that modulates the development of some insects. The low water solubility of quercetin impairs the development of water-dispersible commercial products. To circumvent this problem, the preparation of nanoformulations is considered promising. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of bulk and quercetin nanosuspension against A. aegypti larvae and also to investigate their ecotoxicity. Quercetin nanosuspension was produced by a solvent displacement method followed by solvent evaporation and was maintained in two different temperatures (4 and 25 ºC). Its size distribution and zeta potential were monitored along 30 days. The influence of quercetin nanosuspension and bulk-quercetin was investigated at various concentrations against A. aegypti and the green algae Chlorella vulgaris. The quercetin nanosuspension presented higher stability at 4 ºC and negative zeta potential values. Quercetin nanosuspension and bulk-quercetin adversely affected the larvae development, especially at the highest concentrations. Larvae mortality was between 44% and 100% (48 h) for quercetin nanosuspension at 100 and 500 ppm, respectively. The bulk-quercetin induced around 50% mortality regardless the concentration used at this same time-period. Absence of emerging mosquitoes from water was observed on the survival larvae of all the treated groups. Quercetin nanosuspension was less toxic than bulk-quercetin against C. vulgaris, especially at higher concentrations. These data indicate that quercetin nanosuspension may represent a potential larvicide for A. aegypti control, once they induced larvae death and inhibited the survival ones to emerge from water. In addition, it did not demonstrated ecotoxicity against a non-target organism, highlighting its better properties, when compared to the bulk-quercetin.

During the various hydrological periods in 2011, we studied the phytoplankton along an 87-km stretch of the Araguari and Falsino rivers, which are located in the eastern Brazilian Amazon, in the state of Amapá, Brazil, the most ecologically preserved state in the country. In the study area, the aquatic ecosystem is under pressure from human activities such as, mining, hydroelectric power generation and urbanization, which contrast with the surrounding areas that are designated for biodiversity conservation. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition, frequency and richness of algae species and also to identify spatial-temporal patterns of taxa distribution. During the study period, we identified 185 taxa (136 species in 49 genera). The division Chlorophyta (class: Zygnematophyceae) presented the greatest number of taxa, whereas the division Rhodophyta accounted for only 1% of the taxa recorded. Most of the species identified (69%) were classified as sporadic in occurrence. The few taxa that were classified as common belonged mainly to the group Bacillariophyta. Species richness was greatest richness in the lentic stretches (in a reservoir) and in November (during the dry season). Of the 185 taxa identified, 174 are new records for the state of Amapá.