Fecal sterols as sewage contamination indicators in Brazilian mangroves.
Mar Pollut Bull
; 165: 112149, 2021 Apr.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33610111
Recent sewage contamination in Brazilian mangrove forests was evaluated using fecal sterols as biomarkers and socioeconomic indicators. The sterols were quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Total fecal sterol concentrations ranged between 2.50 2.50 and 39.03 µg g-1 and coprostanol, between 0.23 and 6.97 µg g-1. Mangroves located in less urbanized regions presented low coprostanol levels and low coprostanol/cholesterol and (5ß/5ß + 5α) stanol ratios in sediment, while urban mangrove forests presented moderate fecal contamination. In the latter, an intense contribution of untreated domestic effluents associated to metropolitan areas was noted, leading to a significant correlation between coprostanol concentrations and inadequate sanitation, reflecting environmental problems associated to disorderly urbanization processes coupled to the absence of an adequate urban infrastructure. However, even in metropolitan areas, fecal sterol levels did not reach those of highly contaminated regions, probably due to the intense and accelerated degradation process typical of tropical environments. However, this study highlights the importance of fecal contamination assessment in mangrove areas since the presence of untreated sewage in these ecosystems is an issue of public and environmental health.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Esgotos
/
Esteróis
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mar Pollut Bull
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de publicação:
Reino Unido