Environmental impact of the largest petroleum terminal in SE Brazil: A multiproxy analysis based on sediment geochemistry and living benthic foraminifera

Author(s)

Duleba, Wania ^[1] ; Teodoro, Andreia C. ^[2] ; Debenay, Jean-Pierre ^[3] ; Alves Martins, Maria Virginia ^{[4, 5]} ; Gubitoso, Silas ^[2] ; Pregnolato, Leonardo Antonio ^[1] ; Lerena, Laura Misailidis ^[1] ; Prada, Silvio Miranda ^[6] ; Bevilacqua, Jose Eduardo ^{[6, 7]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Escola Artes Ciencias & Humanidades, Rua Arlindo Bettio, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Geociencias, R Lago, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Ctr IRD France Nord, IPSL LOCEAN, UMR 7159, Bondy - France

^[4] Univ Estado Rio de Janeiro, Dept Estratig & Paleontol, Fac Geol, Av Sao Francisco Xavier, Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[5] Univ Aveiro, GeoBioTec, Dept Geociencias, Campus Santiago, Aveiro - Portugal

^[6] UNIFIEO Ctr Univ FIEO, Ctr Estudos Quim, Av Franz Voegeli, Bloco Branco, 4 Andar, Osasco, SP - Brazil

^[7] Companhia Ambiental Estado Sao Paulo CETESB, Av Prof Frederico Hermann Jr, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLoS One; v. 13, n. 2 FEB 12 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

The Dutos e Terminais do Centro Sul (DTCS) is one of the largest petroleum terminals of the South America located in the Sao Sebastiao Channel (SSC) on the southeastern Brazilian coast. The aims of this study were to compare the sediment quality near the DTCS with that of several sites in the SSC region including the Araca (AR) domestic sewage outfall and to assess the efficiency of the DTCS wastewater treatment plant. To achieve these goals, tex-tural, geochemical, and living benthic foraminifera results were analyzed for the DTCS, AR, and SSC regions. Sediments in the DTCS area were silty with high concentrations of total organic carbon (1.7-2.4%), total nitrogen (0.2-0.3%), total sulfur (0.4-0.6%), and total (0.12-0.18%) and inorganic phosphorous (0.07-0.11%). These values were higher than those in sediments collected in the SSC and Araca regions. The sediments concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the SSC and AR regions were lower than their corresponding probable effect levels (PELs). However, sediments near the DTCS were enriched with As, Cu, and Ni, whose concentrations exceeded their corresponding threshold effect levels (TELs). Around the DTCS outfall diffusers, living foraminiferal densities and diversities were lower than those for the other areas studied. In the DTCS area, it was necessary to search 50 to 190 cm(3) of sediment to find 100 live specimens. In the SSC and Araca areas, a maximum of 40 cm(3) of sediment was enough to locate 100 live specimens. The lower density and diversity of living foraminifera around the DTCS than around the other areas illustrates the impact of the environmental stress caused by the presence of pollutants. These results indicate that the waste-water treatment plant efficiency is low and its discharge of pollutants from petrochemical waste liquids affects the benthic fauna around the DTCS in a potentially harmful manner. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/51031-8 - Geoenvironmental analysis, with emphasis on heavy metals and benthic foraminifera in marine areas affected by domestic and petrochemical sewage
• Grantee: Wânia Duleba
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants