Starch/polyester blends are potential substitutes for non‐degradable materials. Active food packaging was produced by the blown‐extrusion of starch/poly (butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) blends added to α‐tocopherol (α‐TOC). The films showed adequate stability and processability by the blown‐extrusion method and were converted into an essentially amorphous and homogeneous material. The transparency and water vapor permeability of the films increased with the addition of α‐TOC. The antioxidant interfered in the organization of the polymeric matrix, which was confirmed by SEM images, resulting in lower tensile strength and elongation at break, with no interference due to the α‐TOC concentration. The inclusion of α‐TOC did not influence the thermal stability, and it increased the crystallinity of the samples. The formulation with the lowest concentrations of the antioxidant (T0.25) presented an almost complete release of α‐TOC, proving the efficiency of the films as active packaging. The complete degradation of the materials was proved by evaluating the composting of the films. The eco‐friendly films are promising materials for active food packaging.

Embora o fungo não tenha sido hábil na detoxificação biológica do efluente, ele apresentou resultados promissores quanto à capacidade de remoção de cor, demonstrando potencial de uso em processos auxiliares de tratamento de efluente industrial têxtil visando descoloração. Although the fungus was not efficient in biological detoxification of the effluent, it showed promising results for its color removal capacity, demonstrating potential for use in auxiliary treatment processes of textile effluents for the color removal. Palavras

The effect of multiyear La Niña (LN) events on precipitation in South America (SA) was assessed considering 10 persistent LN events over two successive years, referred to as Y1 and Y2 for the 1901-2012 period. Y1 spans from the austral winter of the first year to autumn of the second year, and Y2 spans from the austral winter of the second year to autumn of the third year. Comparisons were performed season by season of the Y1 and Y2. Composites revealed that the teleconnections related to a multiyear LN event during its Y1 and Y2 years, responsible for distinct seasonal precipitation anomaly patterns in SA, were associated with different tropical ocean conditions. In spring, the negative sea surface temperature (SST) dipole in the Indian Ocean during the Y2 was not observed during Y1. Different LN-related SST anomaly patterns in the tropical Atlantic between Y1 and Y2 occurred in the other seasons. Over northern/northeastern SA, the positive precipitation anomalies became weaker (stronger) during austral summer and autumn (winter and spring) of the Y2 than Y1 and were associated with changes in the Walker cells. During austral spring and summer, southeastern presented drier conditions during the Y2 than Y1. In the spring of Y2, two Rossby wave trains, one associated with the LN-related anomalous cooling in the equatorial Pacific and another triggered by the upper-level anticyclone in the tropical Indian Ocean, characterized the circulation pattern over SA which explains the difference in precipitation anomalies between the Y2 and Y1. These drier (wetter) conditions during austral spring and summer (winter and spring), particularly over southern and southeastern Brazil (Colombia) in the Y2, might have more severe effects on the regional hydrological cycle than those in the Y1. The results here indicate that accurate prediction of LN duration is crucial in a climate-monitoring context.

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