Eduinetty Ceci Pereira Moreira de Sousa

Avaliação da contaminação por elementos metálicos dos sedimentos do Estuário Santos - São Vicente

Three approaches were applied to evaluate metal contamination in 41 sediment samples from the Santos - Sao Vicente Estuarine System: normalization to Al, statistical analysis and sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). The results showed increases in the concentrations of Zn, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr and Hg, which seemed to be associated with human activities. The levels of Al, Fe and Co probably were associated with crustal material or natural weathering processes. About 45% of the samples presented concentrations exceeding TEL-ERL, levels occasionally associated with adverse biological effects. Four of these samples presented concentrations above PEL-ERM, levels frequently associated with adverse biological effects.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF MULTILEVEL BIOMARKER RESPONSES AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS IN MUSSELS FROM SAO SEBASTIAO, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of contaminants in the mussel Perna perna from São Sebastião Channel, São Paulo, Brazil, and to evaluate the effects of these contaminants on these organisms at biochemical (catalase [CAT], glutathione-S-transferase [GST], and cholinesterase [ChE]), cellular (neutral red retention time [NRRT] assay), and physiological (cardiac monitoring) levels. Two sampling surveys were performed (winter of 2001 and summer of 2002) at six stations along the channel: Cigarras, station 1; Iate Clube de Ilhabela, station 2; Oil Terminal, station 3; Toque Toque, station 4; Ponta da Sela, station 5 (reference station); and Taubaté, station 6. Differences in CAT activity were observed between mussels from stations 3 and 5 during the winter, but no differences were detected in the summer. No differences in GST activity were found among stations during the winter, although animals from station 3 showed higher activity during the summer. The ChE activity was significantly higher in the mussels from stations 1 and 2 during the winter and from stations 1 and 3 during the summer. Organisms from stations 1 through 4 showed statistically lower NRRT in both seasons. Similar heart rates were observed in the mussels from all stations. Hydrocarbons were detected in organisms from all the stations in both seasons. During the winter, higher polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels were observed in organisms from station 3, whereas during the summer, higher levels of metals were found in organisms from stations 1, 3, and 4. The multivariate analyses showed a strong influence of PAHs on the winter biological results, but metals showed higher influence on these responses in the summer, indicating multiple contaminant sources.

Ecological relevance of Sentinels' biomarker responses: A multi-level approach

In response to the need for more sensitive and rapid indicators of environmental quality, sublethal effects on the lowest levels of biological organization have been investigated. The ecological relevance of these responses assumes a prevailing role to assure effectiveness as indicator of ecological status. This study aimed to investigate the linkages between biomarker responses of caged bivalves and descriptive parameters of macrobenthic community structure. For this purpose a multi-level environmental assessment of marine and estuarine zones was performed in São Paulo coast, Brazil. Multivariate analysis was applied to identify linkages between biological responses and ecological indices, as well as to characterizing the studied stations. Individuals of the marine mussel Perna perna caged along Santos Bay showed signs of oxidative stress, lysosomal membrane destabilization, histological alterations and reduced embryonic development. The estuarine oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae caged along Santos Port Channel showed alterations on biotransformation enzymes and antioxidant system, DNA damage and lysosomal membrane destabilization. The benthic community analysis showed reduced richness and diversity in the same areas of the Santos bay and estuary where biomarker responses were altered. Our results revealed that xenobiotics are inducing physiological stress, which may lead to changes of the benthic community structure and deterioration of the ecological status over time. Integrating biomarker responses and ecological indexes improved certainty that alterations found at community level could be related to xenobiotic as stressors, which was very useful to improve the discriminatory power of the environmental assessment.

Ecotoxicological assessment of sediments from the Port of Santos and the disposal sites of dredged material

A dragagem dos sedimentos do Canal de Santos e necessaria para permitir o trânsito de navios que operam no Porto de Santos. As areas de disposicao do material dragado estao situadas na zona costeira, em frente a Baia de Santos. Este estudo visou avaliar a qualidade dos sedimentos do Canal de Santos e das areas de disposicao atuais e antigas, utilizando testes de toxicidade de sedimento integral com anfipodos e de toxicidade de elutriatos com embrioes de ourico do mar. As amostras do Canal de Santos foram consideradas as mais toxicas: todas as amostras dessa area foram consideradas significativamente toxicas. Alem disso, algumas amostras das areas de disposicao exibiram toxicidade. Os resultados mostraram, portanto, que os sedimentos apresentam evidencias de degradacao em sua qualidade, porem novos estudos devem ser conduzidos visando determinar as relacoes entre contaminacao e toxicidade. Os resultados sugerem ainda que a disposicao dos sedimentos dragados deva ser reavaliada.

Physiological and cellular responses in two populations of the mussel Perna perna collected at different sites from the coast of São Paulo, Brazil

The physiological conditions of mussels from Ubatuba and Santos and also of organisms transplanted from Ubatuba to Santos were studied by using different techniques. Assays for lysosomal stability were conducted on the haemolymph. Heart rate activity was monitored for 6h. The embryonic development of larvae obtained from the collected mussels was analysed. For all the compared groups of mussels, no significant differences were observed for the cardiac activity monitoring and the embryonic bioassays. The mean Neutral Red (NR) retention time was similar for the animals from Santos and Ubatuba, whereas the organisms transplanted to Santos showed a reduction in the retention time of the dye, indicating damage in the lysosomal membranes. These differences were possibly due to environmental factors, but further investigations are required to confirm this hypothesis.

Avaliação preliminar da biodegradabilidade de tensoativos aniônicos em água do mar

Com a finalidade de avaliar a biodegradabilidade de quatro tensoativos anionicos (ASSL, DSS, n-DBSS, TPBSS) em agua do mar, foram realizados testes, de 19 dias, seguindo o metodo exigido pelo Ministerio da Saude para a aprovacao de produtos comerciais. Esse metodo sofreu modificacoes para que pudesse ser realizado em agua do mar uma vez que foi originalmente descrito para agua doce. Essas modificacoes foram consideradas satisfatorias uma vez que o inoculo manteve-se ativo ate o final do teste. Com base nos resultados dos testes, ha evidencias de que o processo de biodegradacao ocorre mais lentamente em agua do mar do que em agua doce.

Primary production of the benthic microflora living on intertidal flats in the Santos estuarine system (24ºS, 46ºW), São Paulo, Brazil

Estimates of primary produetion of benthic microflora were carried out in the Santos tropical estuary, on the southern coast of Brazil (24oS, 46oW). The samples were obtained seasonally over a one-year period. Six stations with different environ mental conditions were chosen. The samples, which consisted of the upper 2 mm of the sediment, were collected in the intertidal zone, according to Grontveds (1960) methodology. The mean annual value of primary production was 45 mgC/m2/h, ranging from 1. 0 to 301.0 mgC/m2/h. The highest values were observed at the more sheltered stations, which contained the highest amount of organic material and, the highest input of polluted material. The epipsammic algae contributed with 40% of the total production while the epipelic ones contributed with 60%. The mean value for dark fixation of 14C was 63%

Sensitivity of the amphipod Tiburonella viscana (Platyischnopidae) to K2CR2O7

The sensitivity of Tiburonella viscana to K2Cr2O7 was evaluated from 18 water-only toxicity tests. The mean 48h-LC50 was estimated as 11.217 ± 3.768 mg/l, and the warning limits were calculated (mean LC50 ± 2 SD) as being between 3.68 and 18.75 mg/l. These results are baseline for the species and can be used for future comparisons in toxicity tests.

Toxicidade do efluente derivado do terminal marítimo da petrobrás sobre o gastropoda Costoanachis sertulariarum

E importante o conhecimento dos efeitostoxicologicos de efluentes industriais antes de suadisposicao oceânica atraves de emissariossubmarinos, para que se possa trata-Iosadequadamente de modo a que nao induzamimpactos ecologicos no corpo hidrico costeiroreceptor. Face a isso, neste trabalho saoapresentados os resultados da avaliacao datoxicidade de amostras de um efluente simulado,semelhante ao que a PETROBRAS (PetroleoBrasileiro S/A) pretende vir a lancar no Canal deSao Sebastiao, SP. Esse efluente e composto deagua residual fossil extraida juntamente com opetroleo, de aguas marinhas contaminadas porresiduos oleosos, bem como, por substânciassegregadas da agua de lastro de embarcacoes eoutros produtos.Foram ensaiadas duas simulacoes doefluente (amostras A e B), previamentetratadas para reducao dos compostos fenolicos esulfetos, de acordo com a metodologia aplicadarotineiramente por aquela empresa. Como asamostras utilizadas eram hipersalinas (Tab. 1),elas foram ajustadas e acondicionadas conformedescrito por Phan et ai. ( 1994 ).Foram medidos: pH, salinidade, DemandaBiologica de Oxigenio (DBO), Demanda Quimicade Oxigenio (DQO), oleos e graxas (OG), sulfetos,fenois e concentracao de amonia (APHA, 1985), noinicio e apos um determinado tempo de estocagem(Tab. 1). Os resultados dessas analises mostraramexistir diferencas significativas nas composicoesdas amostras.Os dados de pH, concentracao de oxigeniodissolvido e concentracao de amonia das duas

Review Of Ecotoxicological Studies Of The Marine And Estuarine Environments Of The Baixada Santista (São Paulo, Brazil)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar, atraves de ensaios ecotoxicologicos com amostras ambientais, as areas mais criticas na Baixada Santista compilando trabalhos cientificos e relatorios tecnicos do orgao ambiental estadual. Para o sedimento foram utilizadas especies como Tiburonella viscana e Leptocheirus plumulosus, Nitokra sp, embrioes de Lytechinus variegatus e de Perna perna. Para a coluna de agua foram realizados ensaios com Vibrio fischeri e Lytechinus variegatus. No total foram compiladas 217 amostras. Verificou-se que a frequencia de toxicidade aguda foi maior nas amostras de sedimento integral do Canal de Santos (70,68%), e a menor frequencia foi obtida para as praias de Bertioga (15%). O sedimento do Canal de Santos, Canal de Sao Vicente e Baia de Santos e da area de descarte do material dragado foram as regioes mais afetadas, enquanto que as Praias de Bertioga e Guaruja foram as de menor frequencia de toxicidade. Nao foram identificados estudos para os municipios de Mongagua, Itanhaem e Peruibe.