RESUMO

Three new species of Microlaimus are described from the continental shelf of the Campos Basin, southwest Atlantic, Brazil. Microlaimus campiensis sp. n. differs from all other species in the presence of two anterior testes, slender spicules with enlarged proximal ends, 7-11 pre-cloacal papilliform supplements, and females with a pair of constriction structures, one on each branch of the ovary. Microlaimus alexandri sp. n. shows sexual dimorphism in the size of the amphidial fovea, which occupies 100% of the diameter of the corresponding area in the male; the buccal cavity provided with five teeth and a slightly cuticularized cuticular ring. Microlaimus vitorius sp. n. has four longitudinal-lateral rows of glands associated with small pores, one seta and three pores small pre-cloacal, and the gubernaculum has a triangular base. An amendment to the diagnosis of the genus is proposed, where the number of teeth was modified.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic globally spread pollutant that has been found at increasing concentrations in the South Atlantic Ocean. The present work provides the first insight into the total mercury (HgT, unfiltered waters) content in the water of the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone (BEEZ), within a 24°S to 20°S. Water samples were collected from surface to 3400 m depth along transects, and analyzed with atomic fluorescence. The mean HgT concentration for the Tropical Water mass (TW) was 6.3 ± 1.4 pM (n = 16), for the South Atlantic Central Water (SACW), 5.9 ± 0.7 pM (n = 8), for the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), 5.0 ± 0.6 pM (n = 2), for the Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW), 6.5 pM (n = 1), and for the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), 5.7 ± 0.9 pM (n = 12). HgT concentrations were highest throughout the BEEZ in comparison with other parts of the Atlantic Ocean, farther from the coast.

Assuntos

RESUMO

The Campos Basin (100,000 km2) is located on the continental shelf of southeastern Brazil. Despite the significant oil and gas industrial activities underway in the Campos Basin, scarce information is available regarding the hydrocarbon contents and microbial communities in the deep-sea sediments. To gain new insights on these aspects, we first obtained deep-sea sediment samples with different degrees of oil exposure. We obtained samples from a seabed fissure (N = 28), surroundings (250 m to 500 m from the fissure; N = 24), and a control area (N = 4). We used shotgun metagenomics to characterize the taxonomic and metabolic diversity and analyzed biogeochemical parameters (metal and oil concentration) of all samples. The high levels of unresolved complex mixture of hydrocarbons in the fissure indicate a potentially recent petrogenic contribution in these sediments. The fissure area was found to have a higher abundance of hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial genera and hydrocarbon degradation genes. These bacteria may be used as biosensors of sediment contamination. The effects of oil contamination, mainly around the fissure, are less clear at 250 m and 500 m, suggesting that the surroundings may not have been heavily affected by the oil leakage. Our study demonstrates that metagenomics can disclose biosensors for environmental monitoring.

Assuntos

RESUMO

The taxonomy of the southeastern Brazilian species of Psolus is reviewed and two new species described. Additionally, P. vitoriae is redescribed based on a newly designated neotype and supplemental material from the type locality and nearby regions. The synonymy of P. marcusi with P. patagonicus is called into question. The calcareous ring is useful for distinguishing between some Psolus species. Psolus tommasi sp. nov. is characterized by having five oral valves, an anus covered by a variable number of small, irregular anal valves, oral and anal valves distinct from body wall scales, calcareous ring interradial plates entire, calcareous ring simple, without posterior processes; radial and interradial plates entire, dorsal ossicles spheroid bodies and sole ossicles knobbed and smooth perforated plates. Psolus thandari sp. nov. is characterized by granules on body scales; mouth surrounded by five to seven triangular valves of equal size; anus surrounded by a variable number of small and irregular anal valves that grade into surrounding scales; calcareous ring with interradial plates entire. Six species of Psolus are known from the southwestern Atlantic and Magellanic region: P. vitoriae (São Paulo, Brazil); P. patagonicus (Mar del Plata to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina; Strait of Magellan and Cape Horn); P. segregatus (Patagonia, Argentina; Strait of Magellan, Chile; Hikurangi Margin and Chatham Rise, New Zealand); P. antarcticus (Magellanic region; South Georgia Island, southern Atlantic Ocean; Macquarie Island and Ridge, New Zealand); P. lawrencei (Mar del Plata, Argentina) and Psolus murrayi Théel, 1886 (Montevideo, Uruguay). A key to the species of Psolus from the southwestern Atlantic and Magellanic region, and a synoptic table to all southern Atlantic Psolus species is provided.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Investigation were carried out targeting distribution and source apportioning of hydrocarbons in surface sediments from shallow to deep waters in the Campos Basin, one of the most important oil-producing provinces in Brazil. The observed levels of aliphatic (≤ 124 µg g-1) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs ≤ 599 ng g-1) are lower than those considered relevant for environmental risk to the benthic habitats. Higher median concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons (8.49 µg g-1) and PAHs (84.8 ng g-1) in the middle slope sediments (700-1000-m water depths) showed the influence of hydrodynamics upon hydrocarbon accumulation in the sediments. Diagnostic ratios and conventional statistical analysis applied to hydrocarbon data produced insufficient information on the contribution of different sources. These traditional approaches do not consider the potential changes affecting source assignment and therefore cannot deal with the uncertainties. The fuzzy logic applied as an alternative method for data treatment successfully incorporated the uncertainties in the differentiation between petrogenic and pyrolytic sources, including those due to degradation. Moreover, by using fuzzy logic, it was possible to identify that water circulation patterns, mass transport, deposition, and degradation processes are more relevant factors in determining hydrocarbon composition than source proximity.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Unplanned oil spills during offshore oil production are a serious problem for the industry and the marine environment. Here we assess the biodegradation potential of marine microorganisms from three water depths in the Campos Basin (South Atlantic Ocean): (i) 5 m (surface), (ii) ∼80 m (chlorophyll maximum layer), and (iii) ∼1200 m (near the bottom). After incubating seawater samples with or without crude oil for 52 days, we used metagenomics and classic microbiology techniques to analyze microbial abundance and diversity, and measured physical-chemical parameters to better understand biodegradation processes. We observed increased microbial abundance and concomitant decreases in dissolved oxygen and hydrocarbon concentrations, indicating oil biodegradation in the three water depths treatments within approximately 27 days. An increase in metagenomic sequences of oil-degrading archaea, fungi, and bacteria (Alcanivorax, Alteromonas, Colwellia, Marinobacter, and Pseudomonas) accompanied by a significant increase in metagenomic sequences involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds indicate that crude oil promotes the growth of microorganisms with oil degradation potential. The abundance of genes involved in biodegrading benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, alkanes, and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons peaked approximately 3 days after oil addition. All 12 novel metagenome-assembled genomes contained genes involved in hydrocarbon degradation, indicating the oil-degrading potential of planktonic microbes in the Campos Basin.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Mercury (Hg) may originate from both anthropogenic and natural sources. The measurement of spatial and temporal variations of Hg isotope ratios in sediments may enable source identification and tracking of environmental processes. In this study we establish the distribution of mercury concentrations and mercury isotope ratios in surface sediments of three transects along the continental shelf and slope in Campos Basin-RJ-Brazil. The shelf showed on average lower total Hg concentrations (9.2 ± 5.3 ng g-1) than the slope (24.6 ± 8.8 ng g-1). MMHg average concentrations of shelf 0.15 ± 0.12 ng g-1 and slope 0.13 ± 0.06 ng g-1 were not significantly different. Distinct differences in Hg isotope ratio signatures were observed, suggesting that the two regions were impacted by different sources of Hg. The shelf showed more negative δ202Hg and Δ199Hg values ranging from -0.59 to -2.19‰ and from -0.76 to 0.08‰, respectively. In contrast, the slope exhibited δ202Hg values from -0.29 to -1.82‰ and Δ199Hg values from -0.23 to 0.09‰. Mercury found on the shelf, especially along the "D" and "I" transects, is depleted in heavy isotopes resulting in more negative δ202Hg compared to the slope. Isotope ratios observed in the "D" and "I" shelf region are similar to Hg ratios commonly associated with plants and vegetation and very comparable to those detected in the estuary and adjoining mangrove forest, which suggests that Hg exported from rivers may be the dominating source of Hg in near coastal regions along the northern part of the shelf.

Assuntos

RESUMO

A new amphipod species of Metharpinia Schellenberg, 1931 is described from Campos Basin, southeastern Brazilian coast. The material was collected with van Veen grab from unconsolidated substratum, off the mouth of the Paraíba do Sul River. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by presenting a strongly constricted rostrum and a slender palp of maxilla 1. There are four species in Metharpinia from the South Atlantic: M. dentiurosoma Alonso de Pina, 2003, M. grandirama Alonso de Pina, 2003 and M. iado Alonso de Pina, 2003, and Metharpinia taylorae sp. nov. This is the first record of a species of the genus from Brazilian waters.

Assuntos

RESUMO

A new amphipod species of Metharpinia Schellenberg, 1931 is described from Campos Basin, southeastern Brazilian coast. The material was collected with van Veen grab from unconsolidated substratum, off the mouth of the Paraíba do Sul River. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by presenting a strongly constricted rostrum and a slender palp of maxilla 1. There are four species in Metharpinia from the South Atlantic: M. dentiurosoma Alonso de Pina, 2003, M. grandirama Alonso de Pina, 2003 and M. iado Alonso de Pina, 2003, and Metharpinia taylorae sp. nov. This is the first record of a species of the genus from Brazilian waters.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

As a secondary result of oil prospecting in Brazil, samples from the Campos Basin continental slope became available. In these samples, specimens of the genera Microgloma Sanders & Allen, 1973 and Pristigloma Dall, 1900 were found. This contribution provides the southernmost record of the genus Microgloma, the first record of Microgloma mirmidina (Dautzenberg & Fischer 1897) from the western Atlantic, the descriptions of Microgloma macaronsp. n. and Microgloma nhandutisp. n.as new species, and the shallowest record of Pristigloma alba Sanders & Allen 1973.