title: Thermotolerant coliform loadings to coastal areas of Santa Catarina (Brazil) evidence the effect of growing urbanisation and insufficient provision of sewerage infrastructure.
abstract: Thermotolerant coliform (TC) loadings were quantified for 49 catchments draining into the North and South Bays of Santa Catarina (SC, southeastern Brazil), an area known for its tourism and aquaculture. TC loadings were calculated based on flow measurements taken in 26 rivers. TC concentrations ere quantified based on surface water samples collected at 49 catchment outlets in 2012 and 2013. Median TC loads ranged from 3.7 × 103to 6.8 × 108MPN s-1. TC loadings in the catchments increased in proportion to increases in resident human population, population density and percentage of urbanised area. Catchments with more than 60% of area covered by wastewater collection and treatment systems had higher TC loads per person than catchments with less than 25%. Based on the study catchments, these results indicate that current sewerage infrastructure is ineffective in reducing contamination of faecal origin to surface waters. These findings have important implications for the management of microbiological health hazards in bathing, recreational and shellfish aquaculture waters in the North and South Bays of Santa Catarina Island.
authors.affiliation: EPAGRI, Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Extension Corporation, Rod. Admar Gonzaga, 1347-Itacorubi, Florianópolis, SC, 88034-901, Brazil. luisgarbossa@epagri.sc.gov.br.
authors.forename: Luis H P
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Garbossa
authors.affiliation: EPAGRI, Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Extension Corporation, Rod. Admar Gonzaga, 1347-Itacorubi, Florianópolis, SC, 88034-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: Robson V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Weymouth Laboratory, Lowestoft, UK.
authors.forename: Carlos J A
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: EPAGRI, Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Extension Corporation, Rod. Admar Gonzaga, 1347-Itacorubi, Florianópolis, SC, 88034-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: Argeu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanz
authors.affiliation: EPAGRI, Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Extension Corporation, Rod. Admar Gonzaga, 1347-Itacorubi, Florianópolis, SC, 88034-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz F N
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Vianna
authors.affiliation: EPAGRI, Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Extension Corporation, Rod. Admar Gonzaga, 1347-Itacorubi, Florianópolis, SC, 88034-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Rupp
mesh_terms: D017756:Aquaculture; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D011998:Recreation; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology; D012758:Shellfish / Q000382:microbiology; D014507:Urbanization; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Catchment; Faecal coliform load; Freshwater; Santa Catarina; Sewerage system