Natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbon inputs to sediments of Patos Lagoon Estuary, Brazil.
The Patos Lagoon Estuary, southern Brazil, is an area of environmental interest not only because of tourism, but also because of the presence of the second major port of Brazil, with the related industrial and shipping activities. Thus, potential hydrocarbon pollution was examined in this study. Sediment samples were collected at 10 sites in the estuary, extracted, and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS for composition and concentration of the following organic geochemical markers: normal and isoprenoid alkanes, petroleum biomarkers, linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The total concentrations varied from 1.1 to 129.6 microg g(-1) for aliphatic hydrocarbons, from 17.8 to 4510.6 ng g(-1) for petroleum biomarkers, from 3.2 to 1601.9 ng g(-1) for LABs, and from 37.7 to 11,779.9 ng g(-1) for PAHs. Natural hydrocarbons were mainly derived from planktonic inputs due to a usual development of blooms in the estuary. Terrestrial plant wax compounds prevailed at sites located far from Rio Grande City and subject to stronger currents. Anthropogenic hydrocarbons are related to combustion/pyrolysis processes of fossil fuel, release of unburned oil products and domestic/industrial waste outfalls. Anthropogenic hydrocarbon inputs were more apparent at sites associated with industrial discharges (petroleum distributor and refinery), shipping activities (dry docking), and sewage outfalls (sewage). The overall concentrations of anthropogenic hydrocarbons revealed moderate to high hydrocarbon pollution in the study area.
Medeiros
Patricia Matheus
PM
Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Oregon State University, Cordley 2046, Corvallis, OR 97331-2904, USA. medeirop@onid.orst.edu
Bícego
Márcia Caruso
MC
Castelao
Renato Menezes
RM
Del Rosso
Clarissa
C
Fillmann
Gilberto
G
Zamboni
Ademilson Josemar
AJ
D000473:Alkanes; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005410:Flame Ionization; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012623:Seawater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000473:Alkanes; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C030641:alkylbenzyl sulfonic acid