Anthropogenic pressures in the Babitonga Bay (SC): a spatiotemporal evaluation in sediments

• Grant number: 21/09078-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2022
• End date: April 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Chemical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira
• Grantee: Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Bianca Sung Mi Kim ; Celso Voos Vieira ; Claudio Rudolfo Tureck ; Letícia Haak ; Márcia Caruso Bícego ; Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques ; Paulo Alves de Lima Ferreira ; Rafael Andre Lourenço ; Roberto Carlos Domingues Martins ; Silvia Helena de Mello e Sousa ; Suelen Maria Beeck da Cunha ; Tailisi Hoppe Trevizani

Abstract

The term "Anthropocene" has been used in the last few decades to describe a new geological epoch. In this new subdivision of the geological timescale, the human civilization acts as central figure of alterations and impacts in geological and ecological scopes. Coastal and estuarine regions suffer from various anthropogenic pressures, such as urban occupation, industrial, agricultural, fishing and port activities, which release contaminants to the environment. In Brazil, estuaries are historically affected by these activities, particularly Babitonga Bay (SC). This coastal system is recognized for its ecological and economic importance, and also for the major environmental impacts resulted from the closure of the Linguado Channel. This closure was executed to build an access road to São Francisco do Sul Island in the 1930s. In this context, this project aims to assess a spatiotemporal environmental reconstruction of Babitonga Bay using trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn), geochemical attributes (grain size analysis and isotopic signatures) and natural (210Pb and 226Ra) and artificial (137Cs) radionuclides in surface and core sediments samples. Furthermore, this work also aims to assess trace element (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) analysis in fisheries resources. Thus, it will be possible to estimate the regional background in order to estimate the enrichment, availability and toxicity of metals in Babitonga Bay. This in-depth assessment, with multivariate statistics, geostatistics and time-series analyses, will allow the assessment of the past anthropogenic impacts and assist the sustainable management of this ecosystem. (AU)