Analysis of the regulations concerning circular economy and its relationship to the reduction of food loss and waste on an international level: A review.

The term food loss and waste (FLW) refers to discarded food during the different stages of the food chain. Food loss occurs during the initial stages of the food chain, and food waste occurs during the final stages. The relation between FLW and circular economy (CE) is particularly important for countries which are beginning to implement actions or regulations on this topic. These proposals may have an impact in strategic sectors of their economy. The objective of this review document was to analyse the regulations of FLW and CE in some countries located throughout the European Union, Asia, Africa and Latin America. To fulfil this objective, FLW and CE regulations were identified and analysed in 12 countries located in the aforementioned regions. The analysis showed that France, Spain, Japan and Uruguay included objectives related to FLW in their CE legislations focusing on food waste reduction, whereas China, Chile, Argentina and Mexico did not include FLW in their CE legislations. African countries did not have CE legislations in place yet. France and Japan have had more success in the reduction of FLW. In conclusion, CE regulation should include FLW regulation to achieve more efficiency at reducing and reusing these residues.

TOXICIDAD AGUDA DEL HERBICIDA PARAQUAT EN Oreochromis niloticus (CICHLIDAE) Y Macrobrachium olfersii (PALAEMONIDAE) / Paraquat's herbicide acute toxicity in Oreochromis niloticus (Cichlidae) and Macrobrachium olfersii (Palaemonidae)

RESUMEN El Paraquat es un herbicida utilizado en la actividad agropecuaria para controlar hierbas, su modo de acción es por medio de contacto y no selectivo. Debido a su alta solubilidad en agua y baja volatilidad representa un riesgo potencial para organismos acuáticos, principalmente los que son cultivados con aguas superficiales que reciben impacto de la actividad agrícola. La tilapia Oreochromis niloticus y el langostino Macrobrachium olfersii son organismos de importancia comercial para la industria acuícola del estado de Veracruz, México. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la Concentración Letal Media (CL50) del herbicida Dasurquat® (ingrediente activo Paraquat) a través de un bioensayo de toxicidad aguda (96 horas). Se utilizaron como especímenes de prueba a juveniles de tilapia O. niloticus (peso promedio = 10 mg, longitud total= 8,75 mm) y otro el ensayo fue con poslarvas de langostino M. olfersii (peso promedio = 5 mg, longitud total= 5,72 mm). Se emplearon cinco concentraciones (5, 10, 20, 40 y 80 μL-1 para el bioensayo con juveniles de tilapia; para el bioensayo con poslarvas de langostino las concentraciones fueron 0,1, 0,2, 0,5, 0,7 y 1 μL-1). El diseño experimental consideró un control negativo, con dos repeticiones y dos réplicas por cada tratamiento. El análisis de datos se realizó con el método Probit para determinar la CL50 a 96 horas, se obtuvo un valor para juveniles de O. niloticus de 17,49 μL-1 con intervalo de confianza (95 %) con límite inferior de 13,75 μL-1 y límite superior 22,25 μL-1, para las larvas de M. olfersii se obtuvo un valor de 0,31 μL-1 con intervalo de confianza (95 %) con límite inferior de 0,26 μL-1 y límite superior 0,35 μL-1. El análisis de varianza demostró que no existió diferencia estadística significativa (p > 0.05) entre las réplicas de los tratamientos. Se concluye que es necesario continuar con estudios para evaluar su toxicidad en organismos acuáticos debido al amplio uso de este herbicida en la actividad agropecuaria, y determinar su riesgo para otras actividades productivas además de la acuicola.

ABSTRACT Paraquat is an herbicide used in the agricultural industry for weed and undergrowth control, its mode of action is by contact and nonselective. Due to its high-water solubility and low volatility, it represents a potential risk for non-target organisms. Oreochromis niloticus tilapia and the prawn Macrobrachium olfersii are important commercial species for Veracruz's aquaculture industry. The objective of this study was to determine the Mean Lethal Concentration (LC50) of the herbicide Dasurquat® (active ingredient Paraquat) through an acute toxicity bioassay (96 hours). Juvenile O. niloticus (average weight = 10 mg, total length = 8.75 mm) and juvenile M. olfersii postlarvae (average weight = 5 mg, total length = 5.72mm) were used as test specimens. Five herbicide concentrations (5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 μL-1 for tilapia and 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 0.7 y 1 μL-1 for prawn) were applied. The experimental design considered a negative control, with two replications and two replicates for each treatment. Probit analysis determined that the LC50 at 96 hours for O. niloticus was 17.49 μL-1, with a lower 95 % confidence limit of 13.75 μL-1 and an upper limit of 22.25 μL-1, whereas for M. olfersii the LC50 at 96 hours was 0.31 μL-1, with a lower 95 % confidence limit of 0.26 μL-1 and an upper limit of 0.35 μL-1. The analysis of variance showed that there was no significant statistical difference (p > 0.05) between the replicates of the treatments. It is concluded that it is necessary to continue evaluating its toxicity in aquatic organisms due to the wide use of this herbicide in Veracruz's agricultural activity, to determine its potential risk to other activities.

Biosorption of Cadmium by Non-Toxic Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) Synthesized by Bacteria from Marine Intertidal Biofilms.

Cadmium is a major heavy metal found in polluted aquatic environments, mainly derived from industrial production processes. We evaluated the biosorption of solubilized Cd2+ using the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by Bacillus sp. MC3B-22 and Microbacterium sp. MC3B-10 (Microbactan); these bacteria were originally isolated from intertidal biofilms off the coast of Campeche, Mexico. EPS were incubated with different concentrations of cadmium in ultrapure water. Residual Cd2+ concentrations were determined by Inductive Coupled Plasma-Optic Emission Spectrometry and the maximum sorption capacity (Qmax) was calculated according to the Langmuir model. EPS were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) before and after sorption. The Qmax of Cd2+ was 97 mg g-1 for Microbactan and 141 mg g-1 for MC3B-22 EPS, these adsorption levels being significantly higher than previously reported for other microbial EPS. In addition, XPS analysis revealed changes in structure of EPS after biosorption and showed that amino functional groups contributed to the binding of Cd2+, unlike other studies that show the carbohydrate fraction is responsible for this activity. This work expands the current view of bacterial species capable of synthesizing EPS with biosorbent potential for cadmium and provides evidence that different chemical moieties, other than carbohydrates, participate in this process.