Abstract
In November 2015, the rupture of the Fundão dam, owned by the mining company Samarco, released 60 million tons of waste rich in iron oxyhydroxides, which spread throughout the Rio Doce watershed, reaching the estuary in Vila de Regência, Espírito Santo. This contamination impacted soil quality, benthic assembly, and water quality, causing severe ecological and social damage. Studies indic…