Abstract
The distribution of selected aromatic compounds and microbiology were assessed in superficial sediments from Suruí Mangrove, Guanabara Bay. Samples were collected at 23 stations, and particle size, organic matter, aromatic compounds, microbiology activity, biopolymers, and topography were determined. The concentration of aromatic compounds was distributed in patches over the entire mangrove, and their highest total concentration was determinated in the mangrove's central area. Particle size differed from most mangroves in that Suruí Mangrove has chernies on the edges and in front of the mangrove, and sand across the whole surface, which hampers the relationship between particle size and hydrocarbons. An average @ 10% p/p of organic matter was obtained, and biopolymers presented high concentrations, especially in the central and back areas of the mangrove. The biopolymers were distributed in high concentrations. The presence of fine sediments is an important factor in hydrocarbon accumulation. With high concentration of organic matter and biopolymers, and the topography with chernies and roots protecting the mangrove, calmer areas are created with the deposition of material transported by wave action. Compared to global distributions, concentrations of aromatic compounds in Suruí Mangrove may be classified from moderate to high, showing that the studied area is highly impacted.
Highlights
The increase of human activity near the shores has led to serious pollution problems
The mangrove topography indicates that it is almost totally flat at its center and back. This higher area, which is a placed in front of the mangrove, together with the mangrove plants, protects it from the inflow of Guanabara Bay waters that invade the mangrove when the tide rises, which configures complex current patterns that prevent the reflux of water out of the mangrove and lead to sediment to settlement in the flatter areas (Fig. 2)
The results indicated that land-based discharges are unlikely to be the main source of trace organics in marine water because sewage contains large amounts of phenolic compounds that are commonly found in household, commercial and industrial products
Summary
The increase of human activity near the shores has led to serious pollution problems. The effects of large, or even chronic, oil spills have been studied at different levels, from whole ecosystems down to more specific physio-metabolic processes. It has been observed that biological damages to aquatic organisms are a function of their spatial and temporal persistence, hydrocarbon bioavailability, the ability of each group to accumulate in the environment and the capacity of contaminants to interfere with the normal metabolism of organisms or communities (GESAMP 1993). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important class of organic pollutants and are ubiquitous in the environment (Pereira Netto et al 2000). PAHs are introduced in the aquatic environment through accidental oil spills, industrial discharges, wastewaters, atmospheric precipitation, superficial drainage etc. In these ecosystems, PAHs become are due to their hydrophobic structures, become preferentially adsorbed in the sediment
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