Influence of a Brazilian sewage outfall on the toxicity and contamination of adjacent sediments.
The submarine sewage outfall of Santos (SSOS) is situated in the Santos Bay (São Paulo, Brazil) and is potentially a significant source of contaminants to the adjacent marine ecosystem. The present study aimed to assess the influence of SSOS on the sediment toxicity and contamination at Santos Bay. At the disposal site, sediments tended to be finer, organically richer and exhibited higher levels of surfactants and metals, sometimes exceeding the "Threshold Effect Level" values. The SSOS influence was more evident toward the East, where the sediments exhibited higher levels of TOC, total S and metals during the summer 2000 sampling campaign. Sediment toxicity to amphipods was consistently detected in four of the five stations studied. Amphipod survival tended to correlate negatively to Hg, total N and % mud. This work provides evidence that the SSOS discharge affects the quality of sediments from Santos Bay, and that control procedures are warranted.
Abessa
Denis M S
DM
Campus do Litoral Paulista, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, s/n, 011330-900, São Vicente, SP, Brazil. dmabessa@csv.unesp.br
Carr
R Scott
RS
Rachid
Bauer R F
BR
Sousa
Eduinetty C P M
EC
Hortelani
Marcos A
MA
Sarkis
Jorge E
JE
D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005843:Geography; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012621:Seasons; D012722:Sewage; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012722:Sewage; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D009584:Nitrogen