Sterol biomarkers and fecal coliforms in a tropical estuary: Seasonal distribution and sources.

The Sergipe River estuary has been subjected to a range of anthropogenic activities including food, plastic, textile, ceramic and metallurgical production plants along with domestic sewage inputs, all of which are of environmental concern. In this study, the levels of fecal coliforms (FC) in surface water samples and sterols in superficial sediment samples collected from the Sergipe River estuary were determined. Based on the FC concentrations, 58% of the water samples were considered Water Potentially Unusable (WPU) according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

Distribution and sources of sterol biomarkers in sediments collected from a tropical estuary in Northeast Brazil.

The Piauí-Real estuary is located along the southern coast of Sergipe state, Northeast Brazil. This estuary has great economic importance due to its physical, biological, and socioeconomic diversity, but it is subject to anthropogenic stress since the resident population in the town bordered by the estuarine system has grown in recent years. Thus, the possibility of sewage contamination originating from the approximately 450,000 inhabitants living within its drainage basin was investigated in this study.

Evaluation of anthropogenic contamination using sterol markers in a tropical estuarine system of northeast Brazil.

The São Francisco River estuarine system, located in the Northeast coast of Brazil, has great economic, tourist and social importance. Its waters are used for activities such as agriculture, aquaculture, navigation and fishery, which supplies the surrounding communities. In this study, sterols markers were determined in twenty-eight sediment samples from São Francisco River estuary by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Assessment of anthropogenic contamination with sterol markers in surface sediments of a tropical estuary (Itajaí-Açu, Brazil).

The Itajaí-Açu estuarine region is one of the most important estuarine systems of south Brazil, due to the location of the Itajaí Harbor, which is the major route of international trading of the state and the largest national fishing pole landing. In addition, industries as well as urban and tourism activities are potential sources of pollution in this area. In the present study, sediment samples from 12 stations along the estuarine system were collected and extracted followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis.

Source correlation of biomarkers in a mangrove ecosystem on Santa Catarina Island in southern Brazil.

The relative distribution of several compounds identified in four samples of recently deposited sediments of the Itacorubi Mangrove located on the Santa Catarina Island, southern Brazil, was compared with similar data on compounds extracted from fresh leaves of three mangrove species (Avicennia schaueriana, the dominant species in the area, Rhizophora mangle and Laguncularia racemosa) and the Gramineae Spartinna alterniflora. Terpenols, previously identified in mangrove species in northern Brazil, were also found. A.