title: Natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbon inputs to sediments of Patos Lagoon Estuary, Brazil.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Oregon State University, Cordley 2046, Corvallis, OR 97331-2904, USA. medeirop@onid.orst.edu
authors.forename: Patricia Matheus
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Márcia Caruso
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bícego
authors.forename: Renato Menezes
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Castelao
authors.forename: Clarissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Rosso
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fillmann
authors.forename: Ademilson Josemar
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zamboni
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C030641:alkylbenzyl sulfonic acid