Search results

1 – 2 of 2
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 12 October 2020

Cleiton Frigo, Ederlan Magri, Julierme Zimmer Barbosa, Laudete Maria Sarteretto, Eloá Moura Araujo, Vander Freitas de Melo, Stephen Arthur Prior and Antônio Carlos Vargas Motta

Vehicular road traffic may represent an important soil and plant contamination source. In this context, the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, As, Sb, Ni, Cu, Fe, Al, Mn and…

160

Abstract

Purpose

Vehicular road traffic may represent an important soil and plant contamination source. In this context, the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, As, Sb, Ni, Cu, Fe, Al, Mn and Zn) and macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K and P) was evaluated in yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) cultivations and in soils adjacent to highways.

Design/methodology/approach

The investigated yerba mate cultivations were located in southern Brazil. Plant tissue (young and old leaves and branches) and soil (0–10 cm) samples were collected at five distances from the highway (0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40 and 40–50 m). Plant tissue was analyzed with and without washing to evaluate contributions from particulate deposition.

Findings

Although increases in soil pseudo-total concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ca and Mg were observed only at the Erechim site, geoaccumulation indices and enrichment factors (EFs) did not indicate any heavy metal pollution. These results indicate the existence of natural variation in soil. Cadmium was more concentrated in branches than in leaves, while the opposite was observed for Pb. High levels of Mn and Al were found in foliar tissue. In summary, highway proximity did not lead to heavy metal contamination of yerba mate under the evaluated conditions.

Originality/value

This research explores the possibility of heavy metal pollution in plantations of yerba mate adjacent to highways and indicates natural concentrations of toxic elements that exceed current legislation, which was an important discovery regarding the yerba mate production chain.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 31 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Book part
Publication date: 3 July 2018

Soha Bou Chabke and Gloria Haddad

The aim of this research is to study the implications of the human resources management practices on corruption in humanitarian aid as the phenomenon is under-researched (Akbar &…

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study the implications of the human resources management practices on corruption in humanitarian aid as the phenomenon is under-researched (Akbar & Vujic, 2014; Melo & Quinn, 2015) and considered to be a hot topic since the determinants of corruption from an individual perspective have been scarcely discussed in the non-profit sector (Epperly & Lee, 2015; Mohiuddin & Dulay, 2015).

This research adopts grounded theory as a method and builds upon long experience in the humanitarian aid sector to generate theory from field observations and from 30 interviews conducted with respondents working in humanitarian organisations. The data collected from interviews was compared to observations data, leading the way to validating and expanding the findings.

The findings of this study are related to human resources administration weaknesses which appear to be directly linked to corruption in humanitarian aid. These weaknesses include issues in relation to Terms of Reference and organisational charts, irregularities in staff selection procedures, the short-termism of contracts, poor talent management, a lack of ethics awareness and mismanaged cultural diversity.

This study suffers from a few limitations pertaining to the sensitivity of the context, confidentiality issues, retrospection in some cases and possible bias resulting from staff frustration. These were dealt with through ensuring interviewees' utmost anonymity in publishing the results and through cross-checking answers of respondents from within the same organisation.

This research proposes a corruption preventive model which serves as a tool driving better human resources practices in humanitarian aid, and highlights the dangerous impact of corruption and raises awareness among humanitarian aid managers and workers about the importance of preventing it so that more vulnerable people are reached and that the donated money fulfils its intended target. The chapter brings value to research on humanitarian aid as it considers the corruption phenomenon with new lenses; focusing on individuals rather than on systems thus opening new horizons of study away from the traditional stream of research on service delivery.

Details

Hybridity in the Governance and Delivery of Public Services
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78743-769-2

Keywords

1 – 2 of 2
Per page
102050