Two studies, both set up as completely randomized design, in a 5x5 and 7x5 factorial schemes, evaluated the interference of 5 and 7 ascorbic acid concentrations and 5 glucose or 5 sucrose concentrations, respectively, on the determination of total and reducing sugars by Lane and Eynon method. The ascorbic acid reducing power (AARP) over the Fehling liquor interfered in the results of total and reducing sugars. On average the AARP was equivalent to 74.83 and 69.71% of the reducing power of glucose and of hydrolyzed sucrose, respectively. The ascorbic acid was stable in all study conditions.

No Brasil ainda não foram definidos os níveis de referência de metais pesados, para avaliação da contaminação do solo. Objetivou-se com este trabalho caracterizar diversos solos brasileiros, em condições naturais, quanto aos teores totais dos metais pesados Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn e correlacionar algumas propriedades do solo com a ocorrência desses elementos. Utilizaram-se 162 amostras de solo, da soloteca da Embrapa Solos (RJ), correspondendo aos horizontes A e B de 81 perfis, das principais classes de solos brasileiros, especialmente os Argissolos (27%) e Latossolos (42%). Os teores totais de metais pesados extraídos com água-régia foram analisados em ICP-AES. À exceção do cádmio, as concentrações médias dos metais estudados foram, em geral, inferiores aos valores médios encontrados na literatura internacional, e inferiores aos valores desses metais considerados tóxicos para as plantas. As amostras de solo foram agrupadas por semelhança, utilizandose como variáveis os conteúdos de argila, silte, Mn e Fe e CTC (T). Estabeleceram-se as faixas de concentrações das variáveis de solos nos diversos grupos e uma aproximação dos teores naturais dos metais pesados para outras amostras de solos com características similares às de cada grupo.

The heavy metals background levels for evaluation of a possible contamination are still not defined in Brazilian soils. The objective of this study was to measure the content of the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn, in several brazilian soils, under natural conditions, and to correlate some soil properties with the occurrence of these elements. Soil samples from EMBRAPA Soils' (RJ) collection were used (162 in total), corresponding to A and B (or C) horizons from 81 profiles, of the main classes of Brazilian soils, especially Ultisols (Argissolos) 27% and Oxisols (Latossolos) 42%. Heavy metal levels were determined using an ICPAES, after extraction with acqua regia. The average metal concentrations were below average values reported in the literature for soils found abroad, with exception to Cd. They were also lower than values considered toxic to plants, including Cd values. Soil samples were clustered by similarity, based on the variables content of clay, silt, Mn, and Fe, and value of soil CEC (T value). This enabled separation of the soil samples in seven groups which have distinct ranges for the soil variables contents, which allowed an estimation of the heavy metals background levels for soil samples with characteristics within the range of each group.