Mercury and arsenic, heavy metals and pesticides

Abstract

Few people are aware of the fact that Brazil is not only one of the planet's largest countries in respect to area, but also ranks within the top twelve of global economic powers. Mainly because of its history, but also because of major tasks to work for improved infrastructures, social welfare and health, most of Brazilian energy ,s still inward directed and little is known abroad. A similar situation prevails in the field of science, With this editorial we tryto shed some light on current acnvities and potentials, While everybody is aware of the vast Amazon catchment and hosts images either of beauty and abundance or of rude exploitation and destruction, only few colleagues know about the other major rivers crossing the country and generating gigantic wetlands like the Pantanal in the very West of the country (a continental Everglades eqmvalent), or riverscapes, e.g. of Rio Parana, Rio Sao Francisco, etc. A similar lack of knowledge is apparent when looking at the situation of soils. This statement can likewise be extended to subtropical and tropical environments in general. To asstone, however, that nothing is known, would be pre-mamre. But until today, the majority of papers from Brazil are being published only in Portuguese.