A. Pereira Msc.

Academic training

• 1997: BSc Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
• 2003: MSc Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Professional employment history

• 2005: Fellow researcher, Department of Chemistry and Biology, Institute for Environ-mental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam.
• 1997-2004: Environmental Analyst, Samarco Mineração S/A.

Summary

From 1997 to 2004 Adriana worked at a mining company that develops activities of mining, beneficiation, pelletizing and shipment of iron ore pellets and fines. As an environmental analyst, she was responsible for the management of water resources, through the adequacy of control systems of industrial effluents and sewage, monitoring of the polluting sources and natural water resources in the surroundings. To achieve that, she worked by designing projects, plans and reports and submitting them to the State Environmental Agency, in order to fulfill the legal requirements. She also worked as an executive member of the committee board responsible for implementation of the Brazilian Water Resources Management Policy in a local river basin. In addition, she worked as a member of the team for implantation of the company’s Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (models ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001), acting in the integration of these with the Quality System in the whole mining process, including company’s own hydropower plant.
Since September 2005, Adriana has been enrolled in a PhD program at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, inside the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM). Her project aims at studying the environmental impacts from iron ore mining activities related to potential bioaccumulation of trace metals through the trophic chain and to toxicological effects in aquatic organisms. In this multidisciplinary study, involving geochemistry, environmental analytical chemistry and ecotoxicology, she will address the spatial distribution, geochemical speciation, bioavailability, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer and potential physiological effects of iron and associated trace metals. For the effect studies several potentially suitable and sensitive biomarkers will be tested and applied. The water resources influenced by the mining and pelletizing activities of Samarco Iron Ore in Brazil is being used as a case study in this research. Her research is commissioned by the iron ore company and by the Ministry of Education from Brazil (CAPES).

Selected publications

• Pereira, A.A., Andrade Filho, M.C. & Mendonça, A.S.F. (2006). Aspectos Qualitativos de Águas de Lagoas Costeiras e Seus Fatores Influentes – Estudo de caso: Lagoa Mãe-Bá, Espírito Santo. Revista Brasileira de Recursos Hídricos, Porto Alegre/RS, 11(1), 63-77.
• Santana, D.M.B., Pereira, A.A. & Reis, J.A.T. (2003). Avaliação da vulnerabilidade e do grau de contaminação do lençol freático numa região de disposição final de esgotos domésticos através de valas de infiltração. In II Seminário Espírito-Santense de Recursos Hídricos, Vitória. (pp.95-101).