Latest Edition Highlights (Issue 41)
Featured articles from our most recent publications
PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND PHYTOTOXIC QUALITY OF IRRIGATION WATER FOR THE TREES OF GENERAL SAN MARTÍN PARK, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Background: General San Martín Park, located in Mendoza, Argentina, is the city's most emblematic green infrastructure, designed in 1896 by architect Carlos Thays. The park plays a critical role in microclimate regulation, water conservation, and public health resilience. Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of the water used for irrigation in the most important park of the city of Mendoza, the General San Martín Park, through a comprehensive series of analyses. Methods: This study assessed the physicochemical and biological quality of irrigation water in the park, focusing on parameters such as temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, hardness, alkalinity, nitrates, sulfates, and anthropogenic contaminants. Samples were collected at 20 points across the irrigation network during three periods (October 2024, April 2025, October 2025). Results: Indicate that irrigation water is generally of good quality, suitable for sustaining the park's forest mass. pH values remained within the optimal irrigation range (6.5–8.4), while nitrate levels were consistently below the 30 ppm threshold, with no nitrites detected. Hardness and alkalinity varied spatially, particularly near the Alto Godoy Water Treatment Plant, suggesting localized inputs of dissolved solids. Turbidity and conductivity strongly correlated with hardness, reflecting the influence of suspended and dissolved mineral content from runoff and seasonal hydrological dynamics of the Mendoza River. Importantly, we found no evidence of toxic anthropogenic contaminants such as heavy metals, cyanides, or petroleum derivatives. Discussion: Overall, the findings emphasize the need for continuous monitoring. From a management perspective. These results establish a baseline of water quality indicators for the park. They provide essential input for long-term strategies in conservation, recreation, and environmental education, ensuring resilience against water scarcity and urban expansion. The study underscores the park's role as both a cultural heritage site and a living laboratory for sustainable urban ecology.
Read ArticleCHARACTERIZATION OF TICKS IN THE GRAN MENDOZA AREA, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Background: Vector-borne diseases are increasingly important because they are emerging and re-emerging. Of the 867 tick species reported worldwide, 10% (86 species) have public health implications; 58 parasitize dogs, and 12 have been documented in Argentina. Tick-borne agents are increasingly relevant in the Cuyo region, with implications for both public health and domestic animal health. In Mendoza, the Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex and Amblyomma tigrinum have been documented. Aim: This study aimed to determine whether one tick genus predominated over the other, compared with previous studies in the region. Methods: We collected ticks from dogs attending municipal vaccination campaigns and veterinary clinics in several departments of the Greater Mendoza area (Ciudad/Capital, Luján de Cuyo, Godoy Cruz, and Guaymallén). Specimens were preserved in 70% (v/v) ethanol in sealed containers until analysis. Identification was performed using a stereomicroscope and the taxonomic keys of Nava. Results: The highest number of ticks was obtained from Ciudad/Capital, followed by Luján de Cuyo, Godoy Cruz, and Guaymallén. A total of 439 specimens were collected and classified by genus, species, and sex. Of these, 94.46% (415 ticks) corresponded to the Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex, including 193 females (43.96%) and 222 males (50.5%). The remaining 5.48% (24 ticks) were identified as Amblyomma tigrinum, including 17 females (3.89%) and 7 males (1.59%). Discussion: These findings confirm the marked predominance of the Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex among ticks collected from dogs in the Greater Mendoza area.
Read ArticleSEVENTY YEARS OF THE BRAZILIAN FEDERAL COUNCIL OF CHEMISTRY (1956–2026): INSTITUTIONAL TRAJECTORY, PRESIDENCIES, AND PERSPECTIVES FOR THE CHEMISTRY PROFESSION - EN
Background: In 2026, the CFQ/CRQ System turns 70 (Law No. 2,800/1956), overseeing a sector responsible for ~11% of industrial GDP, but it lacked a chronological reconstruction based on its own official primary records. Aim: To reconstruct the System's legal genesis, establish a documented official chronology of its presidencies, and discuss current regulatory challenges. Methods: Historiographical-descriptive documentary research based on normative sources and unprecedented access to the internal record "Galeria de Presidentes," provided by the CFQ Presidency Office in 2026. Results: Eight substantive presidencies and interim periods (1957–2026) were detailed, substantiating the interim exercise by Oscar Bergstron Lourenço (1963–1964) and Juvenal Dória's inauguration in 1964. The System now comprises 21 regional councils and over 230,000 registrants. The study identified under-documentation of Hebe Martelli's trajectory (the only female president) and an open divergence regarding the number of regional councils created in 1957. Discussion: Normative Resolution No. 36/1974 remains the milestone for professional attributions. Recent regulations revisit historical challenges, such as attributing competencies to hybrid curricula and establishing chemical safety as a public good, requiring anticipation of energy, materials, and digital transitions. Limitations: The chronology relies on institutional records that the authors did not independently audit against primary archives. Conclusions: Access to primary records consolidated the documentary memory of the System's seventy years, whose legacy lies in adapting the regulatory framework to technological transformations.
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