Levels and sources of hydrocarbons in the Patos Lagoon estuary and Cassino Beach mud bank (South Atlantic, Brazil): evidence of transference between environments
- 18 March 2023
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
- Vol. 195 (4), 1-19
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11074-3
Abstract
This study assessed the concentrations and sources of natural and anthropogenic aliphatic (AHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in superficial sediments collected along the Patos Lagoon estuary and in sediment cores obtained from the Cassino Beach mud bank. Levels and distribution of n-alkanes indicate terrestrial sources, overlapping with a low amount of petrogenic hydrocarbons (heavy oils). Unresolved complex mixture (UCM) was observed in all samples. On the other hand, the distribution of PAHs in the sediments showed a predominance of pyrolytic over petrogenic sources. In general, hydrocarbons (HCs) contamination in the Patos Lagoon estuary and its adjacent coastal area can be considered low, except for sites near urban or industrial effluents, where moderate to high levels of contamination were found. Concentrations of hydrocarbons were homogeneous throughout the sediment cores, suggesting that mixing processes may have occurred along the layers or that HCs inputs to the mud banks were uniform during the studied deposition period. In addition, the levels and profile of HCs in the coastal sediments were similar to those observed in the estuary. Moreover, the frequent remobilization of sediments from the mud bank towards Cassino beach does not seem to pose any threats to the local biota or beach users since the levels of contamination were relatively low and below the threshold limits of sediment quality guidelines.Keywords
Funding Information
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (133350/2007-0, 311459/2006-4)
- Petrobras (650.2.386.03.5, 650.2.386.03.5, 650.2.386.03.5, 650.2.386.03.5, 650.2.386.03.5)
This publication has 60 references indexed in Scilit:
- Input of organic matter in a large south american tropical estuary (Paranaguá Estuarine System, Brazil) indicated by sedimentary sterols and multivariate statistical approachJournal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, 2011
- Variations and Origins of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons in Sediment Cores from Chini Lake in Peninsular MalaysiaEnvironmental Forensics, 2011
- Distribution and ecotoxicological significance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from Iko River estuary mangrove ecosystemEnvironmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2010
- Relationship of metal content and bioavailability with benthic macrofauna in Camamu Bay (Bahia, Brazil)Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2010
- Historical record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) in marine sediment cores from Admiralty Bay, King George Island, AntarcticaEnvironmental Pollution, 2010
- Natural and anthropogenic effects on salt marsh over five decades in the patos lagoon (Southern Brazil)Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, 2009
- Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon influx and sediment contamination in an urbanized estuaryEnvironmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2009
- Distribution of dibenzothiophene in the sediments of the South China SeaEnvironmental Pollution, 1998
- Vegetação campestre do sul do Brasil: dinâmica de espécies à exclusão do gadoActa Botanica Brasilica, 1996
- Identification of natural, anthropogenic and petroleum hydrocarbons in aquatic sedimentsScience of The Total Environment, 1992