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ABSTRACT: Santos-São Vicente estuary, located in São Paulo State, Brazil, has a history of contamination by inorganic chemicals such as mercury (Hg). In the 1980s the Cubatão was considered one of the most polluted sites in the world as a consequence of the intense industrial activities located in the city close to the estuary. To provide data and evaluate the local biota, total mercury (THg) contents were determined in sediments and in fish, Cathorops spixii, from different areas of the Santos-São Vicente estuary. For comparison, samples were also collected in a non-polluted system with similar hydrochemistry characteristics, the Cananeia estuary. The water characteristics and THg levels in sediment and fish samples confirmed a high human influence in the Santos-São Vicente estuary. The lowest THg values, observed in Cananeia, were evidence of low anthropogenic influence. High values observed in Santos-São Vicente show the necessity for a monitoring program.
Marine pollution bulletin 12/2011; 62(12):2724-31. · 2.63 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Aquatic environments, especially estuaries, are affected by a number of different factors. The aim of this study was to characterize the contamination processes in different areas of Santos-São Vicente and Cananéia estuaries, São Paulo State, Brazil. For this purpose, both estuaries were segmented in three areas according to the levels of contamination
in the polluted estuary (Santos-São Vicente) and in accordance with the hydrodynamic characteristics of the non-polluted estuary (Cananéia). The results of hydrochemistry and nutrients concentration confirmed the larger human influence in Santos-São Vicente estuary, mainly in the inshore zone overall when compared to Cananéia, an estuary under more natural conditions.
Arquivos de Ciências do Mar. 12/2011; 44(2).
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ABSTRACT: Mercury (Hg) levels in hair are directly related to eating habits, especially fish consumption by coastal populations with a large contingent of traditional fishing families. This study assessed total Hg levels in children's hair. The study group was selected from three public elementary schools in Cananéia, São Paulo State, Brazil (ages 4 to 12 years). The results (median and range) for total Hg levels in children's hair were: 0.04 mg.kg-1 (0.01-0.77 mg.kg-1), 0.39 mg.kg-1 (< 0.01-3.33 mg.kg-1), and 0.39 mg.kg-1 (< 0.01-2.81 mg.kg-1) for schools ES1, ES2, and ES3, respectively. The values were well below the level set by World Health Organization for an adult population unexposed to Hg (2.0 mg.kg-1). However, since there are no existing reference values for total Hg in children's hair, these results can be used as a contribution to establishing reference values for total hair Hg in Brazilian children living in coastal areas.
Cadernos de saúde pública / Ministério da Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública 10/2008; 24(10):2249-56. · 0.83 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Phosphorus flux models show that the removal tends to be a common feature in polluted estuarine systems whereas the release of P to the adjacent coastal area occurs in pristine environments. This study analyzes the distribution of P in water and sediments along six rivers in the south coast of Brazil. Three rivers located inside protected areas were considered non-polluted and used as a control of urbanization. The other three, situated within urbanized areas, were considered as having highly elevated concentrations of P. Results showed a different behavior of P in water and sediments located in urbanized and non-urbanized areas. The concentrations of dissolved organic (P-org) and inorganic (P-inorg) phosphorus in water, and the total phosphorus (P-tot) and polyphosphate (P-poly) in sediments where higher in the urbanized rivers compared to the non-urbanized ones. Both P of punctual origin and of diffuse origin contributed to the maintenance of elevated concentrations and disturbed the natural fluxes along the polluted rivers. The minimum and maximum concentrations in urbanized areas varied from 0.39 to 12.45 (microM) for P-org and 0.00 to 5.92 (microM) for P-inorg in water, and in sediments from 89.90 to 808.16 (microM g(-1)) for P-tot and 0.00 to 76.51 (microM g(-1)) for P-poly. In non-urbanized areas concentrations in water varied from 0.22 to 1.20 (microM) for P-inorg and 4.43 to 5.56 (microM) for P-org, and in sediments from 45.91 to 652.26 (microM g(-1)) for P-tot and 0.00 to 8.61 (microM g(-1)) for P-poly. Using a hierarchical sampling design and a simple model of variation of P (K(d) model) it was possible to demonstrate that urbanized and non-urbanized estuaries may act as sinks or sources of P. The variation of P analysis in different points along each of the six rivers showed that release and removal areas may occur within a same river independently of its urbanization.
Marine Pollution Bulletin 10/2005; 50(9):965-74. · 2.50 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In the present study, mercury and selenium levels were evaluated in fish tissues and fish organs in the Santos Bay, São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Santos Bay waters are polluted by the large industrial complex of Cubatão. The estuary system filters part of this pollution before it reaches the Bay. Mercury and methylmercury determination were performed using Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CV-AAS) and selenium determination by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Methodology validation for the determination of these elements was carried out by means of reference materials analyses. There was no significant correlation between mercury and selenium concentrations (n = 17, (r 2) R 2 = 0.3482, p = 0.1709) in Cathorops spixii (bagre amarelo)-Ariidae family and Centropomus sp. (robalo)-Centropomidae family livers. Mercury and methylmercury concentrations in muscle from carnivorous species: Ariidae Cathorops spixii (bagre amarelo), Scianidae Steliffer rastifer (cangoá) and Scianidae Paralonchurus brasiliensis (maria-luiza) were determined and discussed. Total mercury concentration in Ariidae Catharops spixii livers presented the highest Hg level (7.6 mg kg -1). Although the Santos Bay is less contaminated than the inner section of its estuary system (Cubatão), it presents signs of environmental impact.
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ABSTRACT: The Santos estuary system is an intricate pattern of tidal channels and small rivers originating from the adjacent Pre-Cambrian slopes. These two major estuaries share a common area in the upper portion of the region which interacts with each other. The largest harbor in Latin America is located at the eastern outlet of the Santos estuary. This intricate and sensitive ecosystem is highly susceptible to human impact from industrial activities, urban sewage and polluted solid wastes disposal. Due to its high vulnerability CETESB (Environmental Control Agency of the São Paulo State) sporadically monitors the contamination levels of water, sediment and marine organisms in this region. The present study reports results concerning the distribution of some major, trace and rare earth elements in the Santos estuarine marine sediments. Thirty two bottom sediment samples (SS0601 to SS0616 (summer) and SW0601 to SW0616 (winter) were collected in this estuary, including regions of Sao Vicente, Santos, Cubatao and Vicente de Carvalho, by a vanVeen sampler in the summer and winter of 2006. Multielementar analysis was carried out by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The concentration values obtained for As and metals Cr and Zn in the sediment samples were compared to Canadian Council of Minister of the Environment (CCME) oriented values (TEL and PEL values) and are adopted by CETESB.
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ABSTRACT: Spatial distribution of dissolved inorganic nutrients and phytoplanktonic biomass in the pelagic system of the Conceição Lagoon; Santa Catarina, Brazil. (September, 2000). The "Lagoa da Conceição", 27°34'S e 48°27'W, located in "Santa Catarina" state, southern Brazil, has being suffering impact during the last decade by domestic effluent, as a result of the rapid demographic increment and the precarious sewage system. This ecosystem, due to its narrow ocean channel, is sensitive to the eutrophization process because the water exchanges rate is poor and the residence time is high. In this investigation, which was carried out at the beginning of spring 2000, the temperature, transparency, pH, salinity, percentage of t he o xygen saturation, concentration of the dissolved inorganic nutrients and the phytoplankton b iomass were measured to characterize the p elagic s ystem of the three lagoon's regions (South, Central and North). From each o f t hese regions, t hree shallow areas (2 m depth) were sampled, summing up a total of 18 station areas. The water samples from these stations were taken from the sub surface and the bottom levels with 5 L "Van Dorn" bottles. This was carried out in the dry season, when the physico-chemical water properties of the lagoon were significantly different in two sub-systems, t he southern and the central-northern, which, did no t show significant differences between shallow and deeper areas. The data of this study was compared with data from 80's and beginning of 90's and, the changes were related with regional demographic increments. We observe that benthic system studies will be needed to understand the biogeochemical cycles in the "Lagoa da Conceição".
