Brazilian Journal of Enviromnent
Open Access Journal
CiteScore
0.5
Indexada na
SCOPUS
QUALIS
B2
2021-2024
quadriênio
Open Access Journal
0.5
Indexada na
SCOPUS
B2
2021-2024
quadriênio
Tecnologias e Estudos Ambientais | Vol. 14 Issue 1 (2026)
Published in January 28, 2026
The municipality of Catanduvas, located in the western region of Santa Catarina, stands out for its recent economic growth in the timber, yerba mate production, animal feed, transportation, and agriculture sectors — activities that are potentially sources of atmospheric pollutants. However, there are no previous data on air quality in the region. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the species Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) as a bioindicator of air quality, using chemical and botanical analyses as an indirect, economical, and feasible monitoring method for small municipalities, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to environmental health and sustainable cities. Three sampling areas located in different zoning regions of the municipality of Catanduvas were selected: Area 1 – Macrozone, Area 2 – Commercial Corridor Zone, and Area 3 – Predominantly Commercial Zone. The physicochemical analyses showed foliar particulate matter concentrations ranging from 0.127 to 0.172 mg/cm², values comparable to those recorded in larger cities such as Joinville, Jaraguá do Sul, and Goiânia. In the ionic composition, nitrate, sulfate, and chloride ions were prominent, associated with sources such as vehicular traffic, fossil fuel combustion, industrial activities, and waste burning. The botanical analyses indicated that Areas 1 and 3 showed higher signs of environmental impact, evidenced by reductions in fresh and dry leaf mass and water content, as well as an increase in specific leaf area — characteristics suggesting an adaptive plant response to stress caused by air pollution. The results demonstrate the efficiency of Ilex paraguariensis as a bioindicator, providing relevant information on air quality in a practical and low-cost way, contributing to environmental monitoring, public policy formulation, and environmental awareness actions in small communities, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at environmental protection and the promotion of local sustainability.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Beatriz Chinato Begnini Casagrande, Eduardo Karnopp, João Carlos Ferreira de Melo Jr., Lenita Agostinetto, Mariane Bonatti Chaves
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6800-5508