History of human activity in coastal southern Brazil from sediment.
This study reports results of analysis of sediment cores collected from the Patos Lagoon estuary. This estuary receives materials from land runoff into Patos and Mirim lagoons and from exchange with the adjacent South Atlantic Ocean through a narrow inlet. Sediment from these sources is mostly natural, but additional contributions associated with source/activities related to the port of Rio Grande. The aim of this study was to estimate rates of accumulation of the sediments and to assess the significance of metal inputs from these activities relative to natural inputs. Our results indicate an average sedimentation rate of 0.3 cm/yr and that the transport of suspended solids from offshore sources into the estuary was enhanced after the deepening of the channel and construction of the breakwaters (in the early 1900). Results for metal accumulation in these sediments suggest that there have been only minor enrichments which can be attributed to anthropogenic sources.
Instituto de Oceanografia - FURG, Rio Grande, Av Italia km 8, RS 96201-900, Brazil. Electronic address: felipeniencheski@furg.br.
L F
LF
Niencheski
Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
W S
WS
Moore
Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, GA 31411, USA.
H L
HL
Windom
D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
(137)Cs; (210)Pb; Patos Lagoon estuary; Radiochemical chronology; Sediment; Trace metal