title: An integrated evaluation of molecular marker indices and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) to measure sewage input in a subtropical estuary (Babitonga Bay, Brazil).
abstract: Babitonga Bay is a South Atlantic estuary with significant ecological function; it is part of the last remaining areas of mangrove communities in the Southern Hemisphere. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial distribution of the faecal sterols and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) in surface sediments and to perform an integrated evaluation of several molecular marker indices to assess the sewage contamination status in the study area. The highest observed concentrations of faecal sterols (coprostanol + epicoprostanol) and LABs were 6.65 μg g(-1) and 413.3 ng g(-1), respectively. Several faecal sterol indices were calculated and correlated with coprostanol levels; these analyses showed that the index limits presented in the current literature could underestimate the sewage contamination in this study area. For the overall estuarine system, a low sewage impact may be assumed based on the low total mass inventories calculated for coprostanol (between 1.4% and 4.8%).
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: ccmart@ufpr.br.
authors.forename: César C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zoologia, Setor de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, 81531-990 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Caroline
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; 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.
authors.forename: Scheyla C T
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Barbosa-Cintra
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; 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.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dauner
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos do Mar da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; 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.
authors.forename: Fernanda M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry*; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil; D004083:Cholestanol / Q000032:analysis; D002777:Cholestanols / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013261:Sterols / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002777:Cholestanols; D012722:Sewage; D013261:Sterols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004083:Cholestanol; D001554:Benzene; C523170:epicoprostanol
keywords: Coprostanol; Estuarine pollution; Sediments; South Atlantic; Sterols