Every year the electronics industry increases its production and earns billions of dollars. This increase is associated to the growth electronic waste production that, unfortunately, is not followed by the proportional recycling increase. An extensive quantity of e-waste containing several toxic chemical residues, that provoke serious toxic effects for human health, is released in the environment every day. This work it is a mini review about the issue of electronic waste production and its chemical contamination capacity for soil, water, plants, animals, food, and humans. Finally, this mini-review finalize with a small reflection about e-waste in Covid-19's Pandemic times.

Kite flying is a popular hobby and sport for children and adults. Despite being illegal in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, the use of abrasive threads remains widespread and poses a health risk to both humans and animals. In this study, we analysed the records of 462 magnificent frigatebirds ( Fregata magnificens) submitted to rehabilitation centres or found dead along the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro state from October 2016 to August 2020. Of these, 244 individuals (52.8%) presented wing lesions consistent with kite-string injury, which can have a critical impact on the ability of frigatebirds to fly and will ultimately cause their death. Even when veterinary care is provided, only a small proportion of the individuals (2%) will fully recover the ability to fly in order to be released back to the wild. In 2020, an atypical increase in the number of individuals with kite-string injuries (1,200% increase compared to other years) was noted in the weeks following the suspension of school activities and commerce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of frigatebirds with kite-string injuries recorded in a given week was positively correlated with internet searches for kite-related terms, which also peaked during the quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. This illustrates how pandemic events may aggravate existing human-wildlife conflicts, and how preparedness plans need to incorporate measures to help communities cope with boredom and isolation during quarantine in ways that do not negatively impact the welfare and conservation of wildlife.

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RESUMOMetais pesados como chumbo, cádmio, cobre, mercúrio, entre outros, são constantemente lançados no meio ambiente aquático provocando inúmeros danos em plantas, animais e em humanos. Várias são as fontes de contaminação, dentre as quais destacam-se: lixões de eletrônicos, esgotos domésticos, efluentes industriais e resíduos de aulas práticas de químicas descartados nas pias dos vários laboratórios espalhados pelo país. Neste trabalho, empregou-se uma metodologia, com algumas modificações, com o intuito de recuperar o cobre presente em resíduo de aulas práticas de química realizadas no Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo em Vila Velha-ES. Através do emprego de reagentes como hidróxido de sódio, ácido sulfúrico, além de procedimentos como filtração, aquecimento e calcinação, foi possível recuperar aproximadamente 74,13 % de cobre na forma de sulfato de cobre penta-hidratado. Tal recuperação evitou contaminação ambiental e permitiu o reuso do cobre nas aulas práticas, diminuindo o custo das mesmas.