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Evaluation of human impact at Garças lake drainage basin (São Paulo, SP) during the 20th Century based in nutrients, heavy metals and organic compounds in lacustrine sediments

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Author(s):
Tatiane Araujo de Jesus
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Doctoral Thesis
Press: São Carlos.
Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD)
Defense date:
Examining board members:
Maria do Carmo Calijuri; Christine Laure Marie Bourotte; Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira; Raoul Henry; Marcelo Zaiat
Advisor: Maria do Carmo Calijuri; Antônio Aparecido Mozeto
Abstract

Present study aimed to reconstruct the human impact history on the Garças Lake Drainage Basin during the 20th Century based on contaminants deposition on the lacustrine sediment. Garças Lake is located in a preservation area, the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI), located in a highly populated urban area within the city of São Paulo. Two sediment cores (LG05-03 and LG05-04, 70 cm and 65 cm long) were sampled by divers at the deepest site of the lake, which were sliced at 1 cm intervals. Information for LG05-03 included total organic carbon (TOC), total nutrients (TN and TP), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aliphatic hydrocarbons (n-alkanes) and grain size vertical distributions. Deposition of heavy metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) and the geocronology by \'ANTPOT. 210 Pb\', using CIC model (Constant Initial Concentration), were determined in LG05-04. Data were analyzed by multivariate statistic analysis (PCA, principal components analysis). Based on data trends and PCA, it was possible to recognized three main phases: Phase I: 64-43 cm (~1894-1975) characterized by low nutrients and contaminants concentrations, allowing retrieving preindustrial levels of these compounds, which are proposed as regional reference values. Besides, C/N ratio and n-alkanes ratios demonstrated aloctonous organic matter predominance; Phase II: 43-26 cm (~1975-1990) characterized by the abrupt increase of heavy metals and vehicular PAHs concentration, indicating the atmospheric pollution increase, due to the great economic rise experienced by the city of São Paulo over that time and the higher vehicles circulation in the region. Yet, it was observed a gradual increase in nutrient concentration attributed to the untreated sewage inputs from the São Paulo State Department of Agriculture and Provisioning headquarters and the city Zoo; Phase III: 26-0 cm (~1990-2005) characterized by a marked increase in nutrient concentration related to the untreated sewage inputs, leading to the increase of eutrophication, as registered by the n-\'C IND.17\' distribution. A peak of coal PAHs concentration was also noticed, related to a neighbor steel mill (J.L. Aliperti), followed by a subsequent decrease of these compounds, coincident with industrial procedures changes. Besides, there was an expressive increase in vehicular PAHs concentrations, corroborating the scenery of a drastic raise of vehicles in the last decade. The present study contributed to the national scenario towards urban drainage basin management. It included records since preindustrial time (~1894) up to the present, highlighting the potential use of lacustrine sediment on the retrieval of historical environmental changes of aquatic ecosystems and associated anthropogenic impacts. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 04/08071-5 - Assessment of the history of anthropogenic impacts on the Garças Lake Drainage Basin (PEFI-SP) during the 20th century, based on nutrient stocks, heavy metals, and organic compounds in recent sediments
Grantee:Tatiane Araujo de Jesus
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)