Morphosedimentary dynamics in the middle course of the Capivari River (São Paulo, Brazil): an assessment of recent changes through FTIR-ATR and Pyrolysis GC-MS analyses.

• Grant number: 25/11849-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: February 02, 2026
• End date: August 01, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Physical Geography
• Principal Investigator: Cenira Maria Lupinacci
• Grantee: Rodrigo Agostinho Silva de Campos
• Supervisor: Antonio Martinez Cortizas
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas (IGCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Vida (USC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/16451-6 - Anthropogenic landform development and sedimentation in the Anthropocene: accumulation rates and environmental changes in mining areas of the middle Capivari River Basin (São Paulo, Brazil), BP.MS

Abstract

Human activities have profoundly altered environmental systems, especially within the context of the Anthropocene. Among these, mining has been one of the most disruptive forces, reshaping landscapes and geomorphological processes, particularly by influencing sediment dynamics in riverbeds. This BEPE (Research Internship Abroad) project aims to advance the geochemical characterization of riverbed sediments from the Capivari River basin (São Paulo, Brazil)-an area significantly affected by sand and clay mining-through the integrated use of FTIR-ATR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance) and PY-GC-MS (Analytical Pyrolysis coupled with Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry). FTIR-ATR will be employed to identify both organic and inorganic compounds by detecting specific spectral signatures, while PY-GC-MS will focus on the detailed molecular characterization of organic matter. Together, these techniques will enable the differentiation between natural and anthropogenically derived substances. By integrating these analytical results with isotopically determined sedimentation rates (Pb-210), the project aims to develop reliable geochemical indicators for sediment quality and environmental change. The findings will contribute to the monitoring and management of mining-impacted fluvial systems, offering deeper insight into sedimentary transformations in the Anthropocene.