Influence of land use changes on water chemistry in streams in the State of São Paulo, southeast Brazil.

Streamwater is affected by several processes in the watershed including anthropogenic activities that result in changes in water quality as well as in the functioning of these stream ecosystems. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate the concentration of major ions (Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Na(+), K(+), NH4(+), NO3(-), NO2(-), Cl(-), SO4(2-), PO4(3-), HCO3(-)) in streams in the state of São Paulo (southeast Brazil). The sampling sites are located at undisturbed (ombrophilus dense forest, semideciduous forest and savanna - cerrado) and disturbed areas (pasture, urbanization and sugar cane crops).

Use of multitracers for the study of water mixing in the Paraíba do Sul River estuary.

Multitracers were used to study water mixing in the Paraíba do Sul River estuary region in August 2007 (dry season) and March 2008 (rainy season) and to evaluate the reach of the river plume in the direction of the open ocean. Two sampling campaigns were carried out, each in a different season. Based on these results, it was possible to conclude that the multitracers used in this study (salinity, Si, Ba and U, as well as the radium isotopes 223Ra, 224Ra, 226Ra and 228Ra) presented satisfactory results toward defining the plume reach and determining the residence time and water-mixing processes in the estuary.