Baseline concentrations of faecal sterols and assessment of sewage input into different inlets of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica.
The Antarctic region is one of the best preserved environments in the world. However, human activities such as the input of sewage result in the alteration of this pristine site. We report baseline values of faecal sterols in Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. Four sediment cores were collected during the 2006/2007 austral summer at the Ezcurra (THP and BAR), Mackelar (REF) and Martel (BTP) inlets. Concentrations of faecal sterols (coprostanol+epicoprostanol) were <0.16 μg g(-1), suggesting no sewage contamination and probable "biogenic" contributions for these compounds. Baseline values, calculated using the mean concentration of faecal sterols in core layers for THP, BAR, REF and BTP, were 0.04 ± 0.02, 0.03 ± 0.01, 0.07 ± 0.01 and 0.04 ± 0.02 μg g(-1), respectively. These results established as natural contributions of faecal sterols, suggesting that these markers can be useful indicators of human-derived faecal input and contributing to monitoring programs to prevent anthropogenic impacts.
Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: ccmart@ufpr.br.
César C
CC
Martins
Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; Departamento de Geoquímica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Morro do Valonguinho s/n, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Sabrina N
SN
Aguiar
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Costeiros e Oceânicos (PGSISCO) da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
Edna
E
Wisnieski
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Costeiros e Oceânicos (PGSISCO) da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
Liziane M M
LM
Ceschim
Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Rubens C L
RC
Figueira
Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Rosalinda C
RC
Montone
D000864:Antarctic Regions; D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013261:Sterols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D012722:Sewage; D013261:Sterols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Admiralty Bay; Antarctica; Coprostanol; Sediments; Sewage