A review of plastic debris in the South American Atlantic Ocean coast - Distribution, characteristics, policies and legal aspects.

The presence of plastics in the oceans has already become a pervasive phenomenon. Marine pollution by plastics surpasses the status of an emerging threat to become a well-established environmental problem, boosting research on this topic. However, despite many studies on the main seas and oceans, it is necessary to compile information on the South American Atlantic Ocean Coast to identify the lack of research and expand knowledge on marine plastic pollution in this region.

Water masses seasonality and meteorological patterns drive the biogeochemical processes of a subtropical and urbanized watershed-bay-shelf continuum.

Understanding the different scales of temporal variability is crucial to improve the knowledge of the biogeochemical processes in the land-ocean interface. In this study, we evaluated the role of continental runoff and intrusion of oceanic water masses in the trophic state of the Bay of Santa Catarina Island (BSCI) over the last three decades (1993-2019) by using multiple biogeochemical and eutrophication assessment tools. The sub-watersheds of BSCI showed high concentrations of nutrients, fecal coliform and chlorophyll-a, directly correlated to the number of inhabitants.

Optimising statistical models to predict faecal pollution in coastal areas based on geographic and meteorological parameters.

This article describes a methodology for optimising predictive models for concentrations of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) in coastal areas based on geographic and meteorological characteristics of upstream catchments. Concentrations of FIOs in mussels and water sampled from 50 sites in the south of Brazil from 2012 to 2013 were used to develop models to separately predict the spatial and temporal variations of FIOs. The geographical parameters used in predictive models for the spatial variation of FIOs were human population, urban area, percentage of impervious cover and total catchment area.

Developing, cross-validating and applying regression models to predict the concentrations of faecal indicator organisms in coastal waters under different environmental scenarios.

This study developed, cross-validated and applied a regression-based model to predict concentrations of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) under different environmental conditions in the North and South bays of Santa Catarina, South of Brazil. The model was developed using a database of FIO concentrations in seawater sampled at 50 sites and the validation was performed using a different database by comparing 288 pairs of measured and modelled results for 15 sites. The index of agreement between the model outputs and the FIO concentrations measured during the validation period was 66%; the mean average error was 0.

Compliance of brown mussel (Perna perna) production areas in the South of Brazil with the bacteriological criteria of the shellfish hygiene systems in the European Union and United States of America: assessing the impacts on consumer safety.

Levels of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) monitored in surface water and brown mussels collected at 28 production areas in Brazil from August 2012 to October 2013 were used to assess compliance with the bacteriological standards of the shellfish hygiene classification systems used in the European Union (EU) and USA. This classification determines the level of post-harvesting purification needed to reduce the risk of illness in consumers. The results indicate that 36% of production areas would be class A under the EU system and 75% would be 'Approved' under the US system.

Thermotolerant coliform loadings to coastal areas of Santa Catarina (Brazil) evidence the effect of growing urbanisation and insufficient provision of sewerage infrastructure.

Thermotolerant coliform (TC) loadings were quantified for 49 catchments draining into the North and South Bays of Santa Catarina (SC, southeastern Brazil), an area known for its tourism and aquaculture. TC loadings were calculated based on flow measurements taken in 26 rivers. TC concentrations ere quantified based on surface water samples collected at 49 catchment outlets in 2012 and 2013.