Current Brazilian Legislation Research Articles

Degradation of the Micropollutant Amoxicillin using Enzymatic Treatment and Evaluation of Resulting Byproducts

Current Brazilian legislation for the treatment of drinking water does not require analysis for micropollutants such as the antibiotic amoxicillin. However, the presence of these compounds in the environment is directly linked to bacterial resistance, and the development of methodologies focusing on their removal is necessary. A few alternatives, such as Advanced Oxidative Processes, have already been proposed and, more recently, studies have shown that certain enzymes, like peroxidases, have the ability to degrade micropollutants in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In this sense, the present study aims to evaluate the enzymatic degradation of 25 mg L-1 amoxicillin using peroxidase. For the specific method, amoxicillin solutions were fed to a batch reactor and different concentrations of peroxidase combined with varying H2O2 concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 mmol L-1) were added. Reactions occurred for 9 hours. All samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and the residual toxicity was assessed using Daphnia magna. The results showed around 50% degradation of the drug, and byproducts originating from amoxicillin were identified. Toxicological tests indicated that the byproducts were minimally toxic to the microcrustacean, highlighting the importance of evaluating the safety of proposed treatments.

Insensibilização de tilápia-do-nilo por termonarcose e seu efeito no filé congelado

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate thermonarcosis as a stunning method for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and its effect on the pH and total volatile basic nitrogen in the frozen fillets. For evaluation, 60 animals were divided into six temperature ranges: 0‒1ºC, 1‒2ºC, 2‒3ºC, 3‒4ºC, 4‒5ºC, and 5‒6ºC. A stunning tank with a mixture of water and ice (1:1) was used. The temperature was monitored constantly, and ice was added as needed to maintain the different temperature ranges. The fish subjected to 0‒3ºC were desensitized more quickly, in 270.3 s. There was no change in the characteristics of the fillets regarding the values of pH (6.86 to 7.00) and total volatile nitrogen bases (6.36 to 8.61 mg 100 g-1 N), both in accordance with the stipulated by the current Brazilian legislation. As a stunning method, thermonarcosis is efficient at a temperature from 0-3ºC and does not affect the quality of the frozen fillets of Nile tilapia.

School Space and Sustainability in the Tropics: The Case of Thermal Comfort in Brazil

This work aims to discuss thermal comfort and school architecture in Brazil, within the Anthropocene framework. The objective traverses the fields of school management, curriculum, and educational policy. The importance of the environmental emergency in the context of the Anthropocene is recognized, understanding it as a space-time in which climate change biopolitically impacts both local and global daily life. In this way, we consider that the curricular dimension together with school architecture, in the Anthropocene scenario, tends to respond to the demands of biosecurity. The methodology of this article is the analysis of documentary sources, particularly current Brazilian legislation on school architecture, thermal comfort, and public funding. The initial hypothesis of this work operates with the argument that in Brazilian legislation there is a predominance of HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) systems over sustainable forms such as natural ventilation, design of classrooms, placement of windows, use of trees and vegetation and management of the student’s schedule. The assumption of the research lies in the need for reconfigurations of the principles of school architecture, considering both biosecurity and bioclimatic architecture essential for the future in the scenario of climate extremes along the Anthropocene.

Uncovering the impact of agricultural activities and urbanization on rivers from the Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí basin in São Paulo, Brazil: A survey of pesticides, hormones, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and PFAS

Rivers in Southeast Brazil are essential as sources of drinking water, energy production, irrigation, and industrial processes. The Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí rivers basin, known as the PCJ basin, comprises major cities, industrial hubs, and large agricultural areas, which have impacted the water quality in the region. Emerging contaminants such as pesticides, hormones, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are likely to be released into the rivers in the PCJ basin; however, the current Brazilian legislation does not require monitoring of most of these chemicals. Thus, the extent of emerging contaminants pollution and their risks to aquatic and human life in the basin are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of several pesticides, hormones, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products in 15 sampling points across the PCJ basin, while industrial chemicals and PFAS were assessed in 11 sampling points. The results show that agriculture and industrial activities are indeed causing the pollution of most rivers. Multivariate analysis indicates that some sampling points, such as Jundiaí, Capivari, and Piracicaba rivers, are largely impacted by pesticides used in agriculture. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the presence of PFAS in rivers in São Paulo, the most populous state in Brazil. Four out of eight species of PFAS assessed in our study were detected in at least 5 sampling points at concentrations ranging from 2.0 to 50.0 ng L−1. The preliminary risk assessment indicates that various pesticides, caffeine, industrial chemicals, and PFAS were present at concentrations that could threaten aquatic life. Notably, risk quotients of 414, 340, and 178 were obtained for diuron, atrazine, and imidacloprid, respectively, in the Jundiaí River. Our study suggests that establishing a comprehensive monitoring program is needed to ensure the protection of aquatic life and human health.

A seafloor sensitivity index to oil spills in tropical marine protected areas

Oil spills are a global environmental challenge with ecological impacts at local and regional scales. In 2019, a major oil spill from an unknown source reached the Brazilian margin and strongly affected tropical marine habitats with high biodiversity. It is therefore important to establish a quick and accessible approach to assist decision-makers for oil spill responses. Based on current Brazilian legislation, only very specific companies (such as organized ports, port facilities, platforms and their auxiliary facilities) are obliged to maintain marine oil spill response structures. This paper aims to develop an approach for mapping seafloor sensitivity to oil spills for continental shelf areas with limited resources and materials. The study was conducted using a pre-existing bathymetric dataset, at mega- and meso-habitat scales. The assessed area extends over 933 km2, between the 10 and 90 m isobaths, comprising tropical marine areas of intense maritime traffic due to the strategic location for important international routes and also due to the presence of ports, terminals and shipyards. From the megahabitat-scale analyses (30 m resolution grid), the areas with greatest topographic complexity were selected for subsequent detailed analysis and the development of a seafloor sensitivity index at a mesohabitat-scale (10 m resolution grid). The results revealed that 12.7% of the area was classified at a high seafloor sensitivity index (SIseafloor), 28.7% was classified at relatively moderate sensitivity, and 58% was classified at low sensitivity. The seafloor sensitivity methodology presented here can be easily applied to other locations to prepare recovery operations, monitoring plans, and for other forms of environmental planning.

PVDF/Clay Spheres Obtained through Phase Inversion for Cu Ion Removal.

In this study, spheres of poly (vinylidene fluoride)/clay were synthesized using an easy dripping method (also known as phase inversion). The spheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis. Finally, application tests were carried out using commercial cachaça, a popular alcoholic beverage in Brazil. The SEM images revealed that during the solvent exchange process for sphere formation, PVDF tends to form a three-layered structure with a low-porosity intermediate layer. However, the inclusion of clay was observed to reduce this layer and also widen the pores in the surface layer. The results of the batch adsorption tests showed that the composite with 30% clay content in relation to the mass of PVDF was the most effective among those tested, with the removal of 32.4% and 46.8% of the total copper present in the aqueous and ethanolic media, respectively. The adsorption of copper from cachaça in columns containing cut spheres resulted in adsorption indexes above 50% for samples with different copper concentrations. Such removal indices fit the samples within the current Brazilian legislation. Adsorption isotherm tests indicate that the data fit better to the BET model.

Near infrared spectroscopy: a method for the monitoring and management of the commercial exploitation of the brown mussel (Perna perna) in southeastern Brazil

Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the most commercialized mollusk species in Brazil. The individuals with a shell length of at least 50 mm are considered to be adults and suitable for commercialization and human consumption. However, the lack of control over the size of extracted mussels is a recurrent and worrisome issue, which may compromise the long-term survival of natural stocks. The present study evaluated the potential to differentiate juvenile brown mussels from adult individuals by using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). A total of 176 mussels were obtained from Jurujuba and Vermelha beaches, both located in Guanabara Bay, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Spectra were obtained from the muscle group and a specific part of the shell, with the specimens being separated by size (shell length < 50 mm or > 50 mm), following the current Brazilian legislation. The classification of the muscles by mussel size obtained a hit rate of 66.03%, while the hit rate of the shells was 78%. The two groups were also distinguished efficiently when the two localities were analyzed separately. The results reflect the influence of environmental factors on the chemical composition of the P. perna adults from different areas, with a 85.71% hit rate. The results indicate that NIRS is a potentially effective diagnostic tool for the monitoring and management of the commercial exploitation of natural P. perna stocks.

Party Autonomy in the choice of law: some insights from Brazil

For nearly seventy years, the Brazilian private international law system has remained unchanged, while many other countries around the world have enacted new legislation in this field. Despite the significant involvement of Brazilian companies in the global market, the Brazilian legal system has shown resistance to accepting party autonomy in the choice of law. In light of this situation, the aim of this paper is to examine the existing divergence of opinions regarding the principle of party autonomy in Brazilian private international law. The focus will be on understanding the different perspectives regarding the scope of party autonomy in the absence of explicit legislative provisions. The specific objective is to assess whether the current Brazilian legislation, doctrine, and jurisprudence pertaining to international contracts offer adequate solutions to the challenges faced in international trade transactions, such as the possibility of using an arbitration clause as an escape valve for the inflexibility of the system.

Environmental and financial multi-objective optimization: Hybrid wind-photovoltaic generation with battery energy storage systems

The present study proposes a multi-objective optimization method for wind and photovoltaic (PV) hybrid generation with battery energy storage, considering a tariff policy issue for the grid-connected residential scenario. The proposed method used the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to model two objective functions, one environmental (Carbon footprint) and the other financial (Net Present Value - NPV) in relation to four controllable variables. To perform the multi-objective optimization, the Normal-Boundary Intersection (NBI) was used to construct the Pareto frontier. Finally, the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) criterion was used to select the best Pareto optimal point. The proposed model was applied in Brazilian cities from different geographic regions. The main results of the study indicated that only regions with favorable environmental conditions and higher energy tariffs became financially viable for the proposed model, with NPV values ranging from R$ −76,080.94 to R$ 69,675.23. As for the Carbon footprint (emission of CO2eq), the values ranged from 8951.47 to 27,939.78 kgCO2/kWh, being strongly influenced by the adopted power generation technology. The use of LCOE to select the best solution provided a metric for the cost of implementing a technology, whose values ranged from 1.093 to 1.981 R$/kWh. It is still not advantageous to opt for the use of batteries for later use at peak hours, even when the tariff modality selected was the white tariff; and energy storage systems that could enable the implementation of this policy proved to be economically unfeasible. In the current Brazilian legislation, the services and benefits generated by energy storage are not remunerated, which penalizes the investment in this type of technology. As proved, solar PV technology, despite being cheaper, was penalized by a greater need for storage capacity, which led to optimal configurations with greater participation of wind generation. This indicates the need for incentives mainly related to wind energy and batteries, which are still expensive elements in the national scenario for a residential generation, reducing the probability of achieving economic viability.

Occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 and Risk Assessment in Bovine Milk from the Amazon Region

Aflatoxins (AFL) are fungal metabolites that can contaminate animal feed, causing toxic effects after consumption. Among the AFL, there are reports of the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk, so the objective of this work was to evaluate the AFM1 content in bovine milk samples produced in the State of Amazonas-Brazil. Of the analyzed samples (n=30), 20% were found to be contaminated with AFM1 in the range of 0.093-0.320 μg/kg (Limit of detection= 0.0625 μg/mL). No sample exceeded current Brazilian legislation, but all exceeded the maximum European regulatory limit of 0.05 μg/kg. Risk analysis estimated a daily intake of 5.357 x 10-7 mg/kg body weight/day for men and 6.257 x 10-7 mg/kg body weight/day for women. The MOE result did not indicate concern in public health aspects. On the other hand, the occurrence of AFM1 in the state of Amazonas was observed in an unprecedented way and need further investigation including other dairy products.

The importance of quality management system to certify radioprotection professionals in the medical field

Certifying professionals in radioprotection (RP), according to the requirements and qualifications established in current Brazilian legislation, ensures that procedures and practices in radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine be performed based on the fundamental principles of radioprotection. However, in none of the regulations and resolutions of the country involving the use of ionizing radiation, the qualification in RP for interventional physicians, radiologists, radiotherapists, nuclear physicians, dentists, nurses and auxiliaries, specialists in medical physics, radiopharmaceuticals, technologists and technicians are clearly defined.  It is necessary to adoption a certification scheme through the ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17024:2013 standard, which will benefit the professionals themselves as well as the patients increasing the safety in RP in the country. This is to the fact that there is no harmony in the regulation of these professionals with the responsible bodies, nor uniformity in practices through international recommendations. This paper proposes the implementation of a quality management system to certify these professionals according to the principles of radiation protection through a survey of needs regarding to the certification of people and the evaluation of systems implemented in other countries.

Occurrence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes, Antibiotics-Resistant and Multi-Resistant Bacteria and Their Correlations in One River in Central-Western Brazil

(1) Background: The uncontrolled increase in pollutants in the aquatic environment results in antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARBs and ARGs). The overuse and misuse of antibiotics is also a crucial factor for public health. (2) Methods: In this study, the presence of ARBs and the presence of 24 resistance genes from eight different classes of antibiotics were evaluated in addition to performing statistical correlations and intercorrelations. Samples of water and sediment were collected from a river in central-western Brazil, responsible for supplying water to more than 3 million people. Physicochemical analyses were performed on the water samples, as well as methodological approaches based on culture and molecular biology, such as real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). (3) Results: The results of the analysis of apparent color, turbidity, thermotolerant coliforms and E. coli were not in accordance with Brazilian legislation. A total of 203 bacterial strains were isolated, of which 30.54% were from the Entero-bacteriaceae family and 29.06% from the Staphylococcaceae family. For the ARBs found, a higher prevalence of resistance to lyconsamides and β-lactams was detected. Among all isolated strains, a multi-drug resistance profile of 59.37% was found. The presence of ARGs was detected in all water and sediment samples; of the 24 genes searched, the presence of 22 was found, and the sul2 and ermC genes were detected in all samples. According to the statistical analysis, the Meia Ponte River is suffering a great anthropogenic impact, and the current Brazilian legislation is not sufficient to prevent it. This water environment is serving as a reservoir of resistance genes, and measures such as monitoring, depollution, management and preservation must be taken, so that the population does not suffer great damage. (4) Conclusions: This is the first study in the State of Goiás, Brazil, to indicate the existence of ARGs in samples of raw water and river sediments, supporting the worldwide investigation of ARBs and ARGs in a water environment. In addition, few studies address the correlations between the ARBs and ARGs groups, which is an important factor in the field of antimicrobial resistance.

Data practices in apps from Brazil: What do privacy policies inform us about?

We present and analyze a new corpus comprising 82 privacy policies in Brazilian Portuguese collected from popular apps in Google Play Store called APP-BR. The contained documents are characterized by excessive lengths and poor readability. Analyzing their content reveals a severe lack of objectivity and compliance with the Brazilian General Data Protection Law. Our results shed light on the problems in accessing privacy information and are supposed to constitute a basis for finding a remedy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort to evaluate privacy policies according to the current Brazilian legislation.

The practices of Brazilian internet users on the environmental impacts associated with the use of medicines in the COVID-19 pandemic: are we practicing ecopharmacovigilance?

Pharmaceutical contamination represents an environmental and public health threat. One of the sources of entry of these compounds into the environment is the disposal of expired or unused medicines. However, it is necessary to understand how the population recognize this problem to subsidize management actions on this theme. Mitigating and/or reducing the entry of pharmaceuticals into the environment is one of the main lines of action of the ecopharmacovigilance (EPV). Thus, the present study aimed to analyze the environmental habits of medicines disposal by Brazilian web users, in accordance with current legislation, as well as the environmental impacts resulting from pharmacological contamination, during the COVID-19 pandemic, besides evaluating the implementation of the EPV concept. An online questionnaire was developed on the Google Forms platform with 26 questions, and was disseminated for six months on social networks, websites, and emails. The sampling method used was the convenience. The results indicated the predominance of consumption of the pharmacological group associated with COVID-19 treatment. In addition, it was observed that most participants discarded medicines for human (62.0%) and veterinary (33.6%) use in common waste. Moreover, there was a concern among respondents regarding the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the environment and their implications in different environmental matrices as well as in human health. Disseminating the current Brazilian legislation and improving the effectiveness of reverse logistics programs, as well as making society aware of the impacts associated with pharmaceuticals can help mitigate this environmental problem.

Oncogenética e Estatuto da Pessoa com Câncer: fundamentos bioético-jurídicos

Abstract This paper analyzes bioethical and legal foundations that contributed to establish the current normative discipline of access to oncogenetic resources from the perspective of the Statute of the Person with Cancer. It sought to evaluate the current state of legislation that upholds the rights of patients regarding oncological demands, considering the fundamental rights to life and health. The central premise was to clarify the status of oncology-related resources, which includes precision medicine and oncogenetics, to subsequently address limitations on their access within the Unified Health System or supplementary health. This is a theoretical research based on the survey of national and international references, specialized publications, and current Brazilian legislation.

Multi-Indicators and Evidence of Cytotoxicity—A Case Study of a Stream in Central Brazil

(1) Background: Aquatic systems are important to the community and the environment, requiring careful assessment, including the monitoring of their waters. Cities are usually built close to aquatic systems, which serve as a source of water for the entire population. With the uncontrolled increase in cities, aquatic environments receive a great pollutant load. (2) Methods: In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate water contamination, evaluating multi-indicators, cytotoxicity and mutagenicity and conducting a multivariate analysis on the João Leite stream in central Brazil. (3) Results: It was demonstrated, by means of multi-indicators of water quality, that according to the CONAMA classification, current Brazilian legislation and the purpose of the João Leite stream, the water quality met some parameters (i.e., turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and bacteriological); however, in some samples, the quality was poor or very poor. Samples collected in the rainy season indicated cytotoxicity, probably due to pollutants dragged by the rain into the stream. Based on multivariate and association analysis, we suggest that the João Leite stream presents anthropogenic pollution. (4) Conclusions: This study provides data for the development of prevention, control and environmental management policies. In addition, we demonstrate that the use of multivariate statistical analyses can provide data on water pollution, its source of pollution and the association between pollutants.

Elaboration and validity of an instrument for assessing good handling practices for fishmongers to guide the sanitary surveillance in Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil

Fish consumption has increased in recent years due to the increased supply and awareness of the health benefits of fish proteins. Fresh fish and its products can be purchased in fish retail trades known as fishmongers. However, there is no specific regulation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS)/Brazil to provide a checklist for the inspection of fishmongers. Thus, this study aimed to elaborate and validate a complete easy-to-use checklist of good handling practices for fishmongers (LVBPMP) to assist municipal sanitary inspectors of these establishments. For that, 11 health inspection scripts focused on fishmongers were consulted, concerning municipal, state, federal, and international regulations, resulting in 1,188 items analyzed. Of these, 74 items were selected and divided into six categories according to current Brazilian legislation. A pre-test was carried out on two fishmongers in Porto Alegre/RS, and then the LVBPMP was analyzed by a committee of six experts for the face validity of the instrument. The validated LVBPMP comprised 84 items. LVBPM proved to be a complete and objective instrument to guide the sanitary surveillance staff in the inspection of fishmongers, allowing its use by regulatory agencies to assist the municipal sanitary inspectors of fishmongers in the RS state.

Health impacts of PM2.5-bound metals and PAHs in a medium-sized Brazilian city.

Rio Grande is a medium-sized industrial city located in the extreme south of Brazil, and previous studies in this city have shown contamination by metal(loids) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water, soil, and sediment and in the atmosphere. In Brazil, the incorporation of PM2.5 monitoring in environmental legislation is recent (2018) and, like other developing countries, the number of studies is still small. This study aimed to investigate the levels of PM2.5 in the industrial and urban area of Rio Grande, to determine the concentration of metal(loid)s As, Cd, Cu, and Pb and of 16 PAHs in the samples of PM2.5, to perform the health risk assessment for these contaminants and the health impact assessment for two possible scenarios of reduction of PM2.5 levels. Our main findings regarding the PM2.5 samples include the following: (1) The levels of this pollutant in the city of Rio Grande were higher than those allowed in current Brazilian legislation, in both the industrial and urban areas; (2) the existence of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for metals present in all samples; (3) the absence of carcinogenic risk for the assessed PAHs; and (4) the reduction scenarios proposed pointed to a reduction of up to 22 deaths annually in conjunction with reductions in health-related expenditures. Thus, these results may serve as a basis for the development of public health policies aimed at improving air quality, jointly assisting health surveillance and directing future studies towards a better intrinsic approach to the problem.

Use of 2D and co-culture cell models to assess the toxicity of zein nanoparticles loading insect repellents icaridin and geraniol

After the latest dengue and Zika outbreaks, the fight against mosquito vectors has become an emerging area of research. One tool for this combat is repellents; however, these products are composed of different toxic agents. Botanical compounds with repellent potential are an alternative; however these compounds are highly volatile. Thus, the present study aimed to synthesize zein-based polymeric nanoparticles as an efficient carrier system for the sustained release of the repellents icaridin and geraniol and evaluate the toxicity of these nanorepellents comparing two different cell models. In vitro tests were carried out due to current Brazilian legislation prohibiting animal testing for cosmetics (current classification of repellents). The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the nanoparticles were evaluated in 2D and co-culture cell models (A549/lung epithelium, HaCaT/keratinocytes, HT-29/intestinal epithelium, and THP-1/peripheral blood monocytes). Cell viability by mitochondrial activity, cell membrane integrity, damage to genetic material, and expression of genes involved in the allergic/inflammatory system were evaluated. The results of cytotoxicity evaluation showed cell viability above 70% in both cell models. No differences were observed in genotoxicity assessment between cells exposed to nanorepellents and controls. In contrast, gene expression analysis showed increased cytokine expression for the emulsion compounds in 2D cell cultures compared to co-cultures. These findings open perspectives that zein-based nanorepellents have potential applications due to the reduced toxicity observed when the compounds are encapsulated and emerge as an alternative for arbovirus control. In addition, the study demonstrated that depending on the analysis, different results might be observed when comparing 2D and co-culture cell models to evaluate the toxicity of new nanosystems.

Use of a residue containing chromium(VI) for dye decomposition using an advanced oxidative process

In this study, a Cr2O3 catalyst was produced from a sulfochromic residue (SCR) generated in the analysis of soil organic matter. The Cr2O3 obtained from the residue was then characterized by techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To evaluate the applicability of Cr2O3 as a catalyst, methylene blue (MB) dye was evaluated as a model molecule in discoloration and degradation tests. The catalytic tests were performed in the absence (Cr2O3/H2O2) and in the presence of UV radiation (Cr2O3/H2O2/UV) at room temperature (25 ± 1 °C) under constant agitation at 200 rpm. The H2O2 dose, catalyst mass, initial concentration, and pH of the MB solution were optimized for each treatment. The optimized conditions were applied in dye degradation/discoloration. The results showed that Cr2O3 has high catalytic activity, with discoloration and degradation rates of 97% and 60%, respectively, at an equilibrium time of 6 h for both treatments. The catalyst reuse performance was evaluated, and discoloration greater than 80% was observed for MB concentrations of 50 and 100 mg L-1 after 7 cycles. These results showed that SCR treatment minimized the environmental impact by ensuring adequate properties for disposal in accordance with the current Brazilian legislation, in addition to recovering Cr2O3, which was demonstrated to be an efficient catalyst in the degradation of organic compounds via advanced oxidative processes (AOPs).