Geochronology and heavy metal flux to Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro state: a preliminary study.

Guanabara Bay, located in Rio de Janeiro state. It is surrounded by the second most important metropolitan area of the country. Over recent decades, land disturbance and urbanization in the surrounding area has significantly increased sediment input to the bay and had a negative effect on its overall environmental. This is especially related to high volumes of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. This study evaluates the history of this human impact through detailed examination of a sediment core taken from the northern portion of Guanabara Bay. A geochronology is established using ²¹°Pb dating and related to organic carbon and heavy metal fluxes to the sediments. This gave a calculated net average sedimentation rate for the core of 0.67 cm.year⁻¹. The organic carbon and heavy metals flux started to increase at the beginning of the last century and the highest values was observed in the top of the cores.

Algal 'greening' and the conservation of stone heritage structures.

In humid, temperate climates, green algae can make a significant contribution to the deterioration of building stone, both through unsightly staining ('greening') and, possibly, physical and chemical transformations. However, very little is known about the factors that influence the deteriorative impact and spatial distribution of green algal biofilms, hindering attempts to model the influence of climate change on building conservation. To address this problem, we surveyed four sandstone heritage structures in Belfast, UK. Our research had two aims: 1) to investigate the relationships between greening and the deterioration of stone structures and 2) to assess the impacts of environmental factors on the distribution of green biofilms. We applied an array of analytical techniques to measure stone properties indicative of deterioration status (hardness, colour and permeability) and environmental conditions related to algal growth (surface and sub-surface moisture, temperature and surface texture). Our results indicated that stone hardness was highly variable but only weakly related to levels of greening. Stone that had been exposed for many years was, on average, darker and greener than new stone of the same type, but there was no correlation between greening and darkening. Stone permeability was higher on 'old', weathered stone but not consistently related to the incidence of greening. However, there was evidence to suggest that thick algal biofilms were capable of reducing the ingress of moisture. Greening was negatively correlated with point measurements of surface temperature, but not moisture or surface texture. Our findings suggested that greening had little impact on the physical integrity of stone; indeed the influence of algae on moisture regimes in stone may have a broadly bioprotective action. Furthermore, the relationship between moisture levels and greening is not straightforward and is likely to be heavily dependent upon temporal patterns in moisture regimes and other, unmeasured, factors such as nutrient supply.

Study of heavy metal concentration and partitioning in the Estrela River: implications for the pollution in Guanabara Bay ­ SE Brazil.

In this study, the geochemical analysis of ten sediment samples collected along the fluvial system of the Estrela River, which flows into the northern portion of Guanabara Bay, shows the presence of anthropogenic impacts in this area. Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni obtained were slightly higher, when compared with values found in natural environments. The particle size and organic matter content in most of the analyzed stations showed features not conducive to the accumulation of pollutants due to the low organic matter content and the strong presence of sand fraction. There was also the fractionation of heavy metals in sediments and it was found the prominence of residual and reducible phase, besides the significant occurrence of organic fractions in some analyzed stations. These factors, thus, highlight the potential risks of contamination, where the metals associated with the organic phase can become bioavailable in processes of dissolution, provided by physico-chemical changes that can occur in this aquatic environment.

Study of heavy metal concentration and partitioning in the Estrela River: implications for the pollution in Guanabara Bay - SE Brazil

In this study, the geochemical analysis of ten sediment samples collected along the fluvial system of the Estrela River, which flows into the northern portion of Guanabara Bay, shows the presence of anthropogenic impacts in this area. Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni obtained were slightly higher, when compared with values found innatural environments. The particle size and organic matter content in most of the analyzed stations showed featuresnot conducive to the accumulation of pollutants due to the low organic matter content and the strong presence ofsand fraction. There was also the fractionation of heavy metals in sediments and it was found the prominence ofresidual and reducible phase, besides the significant occurrence of organic fractions in some analyzed stations. Thesefactors, thus, highlight the potential risks of contamination, where the metals associated with the organic phase canbecome bioavailable in processes of dissolution, provided by physico-chemical changes that can occur in this aquaticenvironment.

Neste estudo, analises geoquímicas de dez amostras de sedimentos coletadas ao longo do sistema fluvial do rio Estrela, que deságua na porção norte da Baía de Guanabara, evidenciam a presença de impactos antropogênicos nesta área. As concentrações de Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr e Ni obtidas foram ligeiramente elevadas, quando comparados com valores encontrados em ambientes naturais. A granulometria e o teor de matéria orgânica na maioria dos pontos analisados mostraram características não favoráveis à acumulação destes poluentes devido à baixa concentração de matéria orgânica e à forte presença de fração areia. Realizou-se também o fracionamento dos metais pesados nos sedimentos e constatou-se a preeminência da fase residual e redutível, além da ocorrência significativa da fração orgânica em alguns pontos analisados. Estes fatores evidenciam, portanto, riscos potenciais de contaminação, onde os metais associados à fase orgânica podem se tornar biodisponíveis em processos de solubilização, proporcionados por mudanças físico-químicas que podem ocorrer neste ambiente aquático.

The contribution of heavy metal pollution derived from highway runoff to Guanabara Bay sediments--Rio de Janeiro/Brazil.

In this study, geochemical and particle size analyses of thirty-four street sediment samples collected from an urban environment around Guanabara Bay, shows highway run-off to be a potential source of heavy metals for the pollution of near-shore sedimentary deposits. Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni were found to be higher in these sediments when compared to concentrations found in samples from the natural environment, where an Enrichment Factor (EF) index was used to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources. Particle size analysis shows these sediments to be predominantly composed of sand and no distribution pattern was observed between the sand, silt and clay fractions. High levels of organic matter and heavy metals would indicate that these street run-off materials are a potential source of pollution for the near-shore sediments of Guanabara Bay.

The contribution of heavy metal pollution derived from highway runoff to Guanabara Bay sediments: Rio de Janeiro / Brazil

In this study, geochemical and particle size analyses of thirty-four street sediment samples collected from an urban environment around Guanabara Bay, shows highway run-off to be a potential source of heavy metals for the pollution of near-shore sedimentary deposits. Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni were found to be higher in these sediments when compared to concentrations found in samples from the natural environment, where an Enrichment Factor (EF) index was used to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources. Particle size analysis shows these sediments to be predominantly composed of sand and no distribution pattern was observed between the sand, silt and clay fractions. High levels of organic matter and heavy metals would indicate that these street run-off materials are a potential source of pollution for the near-shore sediments of Guanabara Bay.

Neste estudo, análises geoquímica e de granulometria de trinta e quatro amostras de sedimentos coletados ao longo de rodovias em um ambiente urbano ao redor da Baía de Guanabara, mostram que o escoamento superficial das rodovias pode ser fonte potencial de metais pesados para a poluição de depósitos sedimentares costeiros. Concentrações de Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr e Ni são bem altas quando comparadas com os valores encontrados em ambientes naturais, onde o Fator de Enriquecimento (FE), que é índice de normalização, foi utilizado para a distinção entre fontes naturais e antropogênicas de metais pesados. As análises granulométricas mostram que estes sedimentos são compostos predominantemente de areia e nenhum padrão de distribuição foi observado entre as frações areia, silte e argila. Os altos níveis de matéria orgânica e metais pesados indicam que estes materiais depositados sobre as rodovias são fontes potenciais de poluição para os sedimentos costeiros da Baía de Guanabara.

Surface modification of a granite building stone in central Rio de Janeiro.

In order to evaluate environmental controls on the soiling formation and decay of building stones a set of mapping and physical and chemical analyses were carried out on granite from a historical church in the polluted centre of Rio de Janeiro. These techniques highlight the increasing of threatening damage on generally perceived as a durable building material, caused by granular disaggregation and contour scaling in areas close to ground level. Mapping also indicated the formation of black crusts over entire building façades, concentrated on areas sheltered from rain-wash. Analyses demonstrated the influence of marine aerosols, rock and mortar composition and mostly of the atmospheric pollutants on the decay and soiling of the granite. Much of the decay is associated specifically with the presence of halite (NaCl) and gypsum ((CaS04)2H2O). The fact that black, gypsum crusts are able to develop over entire façades in a humid subtropical environment is testimony to the high levels of local pollution, especially particulate deposition. Reduced rainwash, in sheltered micro-environments of narrow, canyon-like streets, overcomes the gypsum tendency to be washed away from buildings façades. These observations further highlight that decay processes are primarily controlled by microclimatic conditions.

Geochemical distribution and bioavailability of heavy metals and oxalate in street sediments from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a preliminary investigation.

As urbanisation accelerates within less-economically developed countries, populations in cities such as Rio de Janeiro are subject to numerous health risks relating to "heavy metal", sewage and vehicle pollution. These risks apply especially to children, through inhalation and dermal contact with pollutant-rich street sediments that reflect contamination from atmospheric deposition and act as effective sinks for heavy metals and oxalates. To assess the nature and extent of these risks street sediments were collected from industrial, commercial, residential and recreational areas with varying traffic densities within Rio de Janeiro. A modified selective extraction procedure was used to study the geochemical partitioning and bioavailability of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and C(2)O(4) (-). Oxalate partitioning has not been studied by traditional sequential methods and results from this procedure highlight the potential bioavailability of both oxalates and "heavy metals", especially Pb and C(2)O(4) (-) in industrial and recreational areas.