Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada
Volume 22, Issue 3, September 2022, Pages 175-192

DOI: 10.5894/rgci-n379
* Submission: 17 JUN 2020; Peer review: 29 JUN 2020; Revised: 10 FEB 2022; Accepted: 10 FEB 2022; Available on-line: 12 OCT 2022

Assessment of eutrophication through ecological indicators at the entrance of a tropical urbanized estuary

Valquiria Maria de Carvalho Aguiar^{@ 1}, José Antônio Baptista Neto¹, Estefan Monteiro da Fonseca¹

---

@ Corresponding author: vaguiar@id.uff.br
¹ Instituto de Geociências, Departamento de Geologia e Geofísica Marinha, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Avenida General Milton Tavares de Souza, s/n, Niterói, RJ, 24210346, Brazil

---

ASBTRACT
Dissolved nutrients, phytoplankton biomass and other ancillary variables, were obtained at two sub-embayments at the entrance of Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and a composite trophic status index (TRIX) was used to assess the water quality of the study area. The role of bottom sediments in nutrient dynamics was also investigated through the evaluation nutrients, phytoplankton biomass and other sedimentary variables, since this compartment acts as a geological record of anthropogenic input. Jurujuba Sound, at the east margin, and Flamengo-Botafogo Sounds, at the western margin, were sampled during neap and spring tides in the dry season. Signs of eutrophication were detected through the extreme variations of dissolved oxygen concentrations at both margins, being more accentuated at Jurujuba Sound (2.20-14.07 mg.l-1). Dissolved inorganic nitrogen was elevated at both margins and mostly composed of ammonium, surpassing 87% at Flamengo Botafogo Sounds, which suggests a continued input of raw sewage at the western margin of the bay. TRIX revealed poor water quality for most stations at the study area, varying from 4.53 to 7.29 at Jurujuba Sound and from 5.67 to 7.87 at Flamengo-Botafogo Sounds. The increase of TRIX from neap to spring tide was registered at both margins, revealing decrease of water quality. The differences in grain size between both margins played a key role in nutrient dynamics, with predominance of fine sediments at Jurujuba Sound and coarser particles at the opposite margin. Accumulation of high concentrations of TOC (0.87-6.57%) and inorganic phosphorus (154.34-1516.82 µg.g-1) were favored by the predominance of fine sediments at Jurujuba Sound. The assessment of eutrophication in water column and bottom sediments revealed the maintenance of this process at the entrance of Guanabara Bay sustained by the recurrent anthropogenic input, what demands urgent action from public policies to mitigate this situation.

Keywords: nutrients, estuary, trophic index (TRIX), sediments.

RESUMO
Nutrientes dissolvidos, biomassa fitoplanctônica, e outras variáveis auxiliares, foram obtidas em duas enseadas na estrada da Baía de Guanabara (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) e um índice trófico composto (TRIX) foi utilizado para avaliar a qualidade da água na área de estudo. O papel dos sedimentos de fundo na dinâmica dos nutrientes também foi investigado através da avaliação de nutrientes, biomassa fitoplanctônica e outras variáveis sedimentares, já que este compartimento atua como um registro geológico de aporte antropogênico. A Enseada Jurujuba, na margem leste, e as Enseadas de Flamengo-Botafogo, na margem oeste, foram amostradas durante as marés de quadratura e sizígia na estação seca. Sinais de eutrofização foram detectados através da variação extrema de oxigênio dissolvido em ambas as margens, sendo mais acentuada na Enseada Jurujuba (2.20-14.07 mg.l-1). O nitrogênio orgânico dissolvido foi elevado em ambas as margens e majoritariamente composto de amônio, ultrapassando 87% nas Enseadas Flamengo-Botafogo, o que sugeriu aporte contínuo de esgoto bruto na margem oeste da baía. O TRIX revelou baixa qualidade da água para a maioria das estações da área de estudo, variando de 4.53 a 7.29 na Enseada Jurujuba e de 5.67 a 7.87 nas Enseadas Flamengo-Botafogo. O aumento do TRIX entre quadratura e sizígia foi registrado em ambas as margens, revelando a piora da qualidade da água. As diferenças granulométricas entre ambas as margens tiveram papel fundamental na dinâmica dos nutrientes, com predominância de sedimentos finos na enseada Jurujuba e grãos mais grossos na margem oposta. A acumulação de elevada concentração de carbono orgânico total (TOC) (0.87-6.75%) e fósforo inorgânico (154.34-1516.82 µg.g-1) foram favorecidos pela predominância de sedimentos finos na enseada Jurujuba. A avaliação da eutrofização na coluna d’água e sedimentos de fundo revelou a manutenção deste processo na entrada da Baía de Guanabara mantido pelo aporte antropogênico recorrente, o que demanda ação urgente do poder público para mitigar essa situação.

Palavras-chave: nutrientes, estuário, índice trófico, sedimentos.

 

Abuchacra, P. F. F., Aguiar, V. M. C., Abuchacra, R. C., Baptista Neto, J. A., Oliveira, A. S. (2015). Assessment of bioavailability and potential toxicity of Cu, Zn and Pb, a case study in Jurujuba Sound, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 100, 414–425. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.08.012

Aguiar, V.M. C., Baptista Neto, J. A. B., Rangel, C. M. (2011). Eutrophication and hypoxia in four streams discharging in Guanabara Bay, RJ, Brazil, a case study. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62, 1915–1919. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.04.035.

Aguiar, V. M. C., Abuchacra, P. F. F., Baptista Neto, J. A. (2013). Biogeochemistry of Jurujuba sound concerning phosphorus dynamics, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil. Journal of Coastal Research, 65, 1–6. doi:10.2112/SI65-001.1.

Aguiar, V. M. C., Lima, M. N., Abuchacra, R. C., Abuchacra, P. F. F., Baptista Neto, J. A., Borges, H.V., Oliveira, V. C. (2016). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Ecological risks of trace metals in Guanabara Bay , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil : An index analysis approach. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 133, 306–315. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.07.012.

Amador, E. S., 1980. Assoreamento da Baía de Guanabara-taxas de sedimentação. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 52, 723–742.

Anand, S. S., Sardessai, S., Muthukumar, C., Mangalaa, K. R., Sundar, D., Parab, S. G., Kumar, M. D. (2014). Intra- and inter-seasonal variability of nutrients in a tropical monsoonal estuary ( Zuari , India ). Continental Shelf Research, 82, 9–30. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2014.04.005.

Aspila, K. I., Agemian, H., Chau, A. S. Y. (1976). A semi-automated Method for the Determination of Inorganic, Organic and Total Phosphate in sediments. Analyst, 101, 187–197.

Bader, R. G. (1955). Carbon and nitrogen relations in surface and subsurface marine sediments. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta, 7(5/6): 205-211.

Baptista Neto, J. A., Smith, B. J., Mcallister, J. J. (2000). Heavy metal concentrations in surface sediments in a nearshore environment, Jurujuba Sound, Southeast Brazil. Environmental Pollution, 109, 1–9. doi:10.1016/S0269-7491(99)00233-X.

Baptista neto, J. A., Smith, B. J., Mcallister, J. J., Silva, M. A. M. D. A. (2005). Fontes e transporte de metais pesados para a Enseada de Jurujuba ( Baía de Guanabara ) SE – Brasil. Revista Tamoios, 2, 11–21. doi:1980-4490.

Barletta, M., Lima, A. R. A., Costa, M.F. (2019). Distribution, sources and consequences of nutrients, persistent organic pollutants, metals and microplastics in South American estuaries. The Science of the Total Environment, 651, 1199–1218. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.276.

Boers, P. C. M., Van Raaphorst, W., Van der Molen, D.T. (1998). Phosphorus retention in sediments. Water and Science Technology, 37, 31–39. doi:https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1998.0169.

Boikova, E., Botva, U., Līcīte, V. (2008). Implementation of Trophic Status Index in Brackish Water Quality Assessment of Baltic Coastal Waters. Procedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, 62, 115–119. doi:10.2478/v10046-008-0016-z.

Borges, A. C., Sanders, C. J., Santos, H. L. R., Araripe, D. R., Machado, W., Patchineelam, S. R. (2009). Eutrophication history of Guanabara Bay (SE Brazil) recorded by phosphorus flux to sediments from a degraded mangrove area. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 58, 1750–1754. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.07.025.

Brandini, N., Rodrigues, A. P. C., Abreu, I. M., Junior, L. C. C., Knoppers, B. A., Machado, W. (2016). Nutrient behavior in a highly-eutrophicated tropical estuarine system. Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 28, 1–21.

Bricker, S. B., Ferreira, J. G., Simas, T. (2003). An integrated methodology for assessment of estuarine trophic status. Ecological Modelling, 169, 39–60. doi:10.1016/S0304-3800(03)00199-6.

Brugnoli, E., Muniz, P., Venturini, N., Brena, B., Rodríguez, A., García-Rodríguez, F. (2019). Assessing multimetric trophic state variability during an ENSO event in a large estuary (Río de la Plata, South America). Regional Studies in Marine Sciences, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2019.100565.

Cabrita, M. T., Silva, A., Oliveira, P. B., Angélico, M. M., Nogueira, M. (2015). Assessing eutrophication in the Portuguese continental Exclusive Economic Zone within the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Ecological Indicators, 58, 286–299. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.05.044.

Carreira, R. S., Wagener, A. L. R. (1998). Speciation of sewage derived phosphorus in coastal sediments from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 36, 818–827. doi:10.1016/S0025-326X(98)00062-9.

Caruso, G., Leonardi, M., Monticelli, L. S., Decembrini, F., Azzaro, F., Crisafi, E., Zappalà, G., Bergamasco, A., Vizzini, S. (2010). Assessment of the ecological status of transitional waters in Sicily (Italy): First characterisation and classification according to a multiparametric approach. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 60, 1682–1690. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.06.047.

Coelho, V. M. B. (2007). Baia de Guanabara–Uma História de Agressão Ambiental. Casa da Palavra, Rio de Janeiro.

Cordeiro, R. C., Machado, W., Santelli, R.E., Figueiredo, A. G., Seoane, J. C. S., Oliveira, E. P., Freire, A. S., Bidone, E. D., Monteiro, F. F., Silva, F. T., Meniconi, M. F. G. (2015). Geochemical fractionation of metals and semimetals in surface sediments from tropical impacted estuary (Guanabara Bay, Brazil). Environmental Earth Sciences, 74, 1363–1378. doi:10.1007/s12665-015-4127-y.

Dugdale, R., Wilkerson, F., Parker, A. E., Marchi, A., Taberski, K. (2012). River flow and ammonium discharge determine spring phytoplankton blooms in an urbanized estuary. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 115, 187–199. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2012.08.025.

Dugdale, R. C., Wilkerson, f. P., Hogue, V .E., Marchi, A. (2007). The role of ammonium and nitrate in spring bloom development in San Francisco Bay. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 73, 17–29. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2006.12.008.

Eichler, P. P. B., Eichler, B. B. M., Pereira, E. R. M., Kfouri, P. B. P., Pimenta, F. M., Bérgamo, A. L., Vilela, C. G. (2003). Benthic Foraminiferal Response to Variations in Temperature, Salinity, Dissolved Oxygen and Organic Carbon, in the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Anuário do Instituto de Geociências, 26, 36–51.

Farias, C. O., Hamacher, C., Wagener, A. D. L. R., Scofield, A. D. L. (2008). Origin and degradation of hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments ( Rio de Janeiro , Brazil ) contaminated by an oil spill. Organic Geochemistry, 39, 289–307. doi:10.1016/j.orggeochem.2007.12.008.

Freeman, L. A., Corbett, D. R., Fitzgerald, A. M., Lemley, D. A., Quigg, A., Steppe, C. N. (2019). Impacts of Urbanization and Development on Estuarine Ecosystems and Water Quality. Estuaries and Coasts. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00597-z.

Fistarol, G. O., Coutinho, F. H., Moreirra, A. P. B., Venas, T., Cárnovas, A., Paula JR, E. M., Coutinho, R., Moura, R.L., Valentin, J. L., Tenenbaum, D. R., Paranhos, R., Valle, R. A. B., Vicente, C., Amado Filho, G. M., Pereira, R.C., Kruger, R., Rezende, C.E., Thompson, C. C., Salomon, P. S., Thompson, F. L. (2015). Environmental and Sanitary Conditions of Guanabara Bay , Rio de Janeiro. Frontiers in Microbiology, 6, 1–17. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2015.01232.

Fries, A. S., Coimbra, J. P., Nemazie, D. A., Summers, R. M., Azevedo, J. P. S., Filoso, S., Newton, M., Gelli, G., Oliveira, R. C. N., Pessoa, M. A. R., Dennison, W. C. (2019). Guanabara Bay ecosystem health report card: Science, management and governance implications. Regional Studies in Marine Sciences, 25, 1-17, doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2018.100474.

Froelich, P.N. (1988). Kinet control of dissolved phosphate in natural rivers and estuaries: A primer on the phosphate buffer mechanism. Limnology and Oceanography, 33, 649–668.

Gardolinski, P. C. F. C., Worsfold, P.J., Mckelvie, I. D. (2004). Seawater induced release and transformation of organic and inorganic phosphorus from river sediments. Water Research, 38, 688–692. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2003.10.048.

Gonzalez, A. M., Paranhos, R., Andrade, L., Valentin, J.L. (2000). Bacterial Production in Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Evaluated by 3 H-Leucine Incorporation. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 43, 493–500. doi:10.1590/S1516-89132000000500008.

Grasshoff, K.., Ehrhardt, M., Kremling, K. (1999). Methods of seawater analysis, 3rd ed. Verlag-Chemie, Weinhein.

Guenther, M., Valentin, J.L. (2008). Bacterial and phytoplankton production in two coastal systems influenced by distinct eutrophication processes. Oecologia Bras. 12, 172–178.

Guimarães, G. P., Mello, W.Z. (2006). Estimativa do fluxo de amônia na interface ar-mar na Baía de Guanabara – estudo preliminar. Química Nova, 29, 54–60.

Jayachandran, P. R., Nandan, S. B. (2012). Assessment of trophic change and its probable impact on tropical estuarine environment (the Kodungallur-Azhikode estuary, India), Mitigation, Adaptation, Strategies for Global Changes, 17, 837-847. DOI 10.1007/s11027-011-9347-1.

Júnior, A. N. M., Crapez, M. A. C., Barboza, C. D. N. (2006). Impact of the Icaraí Sewage Outfall in Guanabara Bay, Brazil. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 49, 643–650.

Jungxiang, L., Fajun, J., Ke, K., Mingben, X., Fu, L., Bo, C. (2014). Nutrients distribution and trophic status assessment in the northern Beibu Gulf, China*. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00343-014-3199-y.

Kadiri, M., Bockelmann-Evans, B., Rauen, W.B. (2014). Assessing the susceptibility of two UK estuaries to nutrient enrichment. Continental Shelf Research, 88, 151–160. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2014.08.002.

Kjerfve, B., Ribeiro, C. H. A., Dias, G. T. M., Filippo, A. M., Quaresma, V. S. (1997). Oceanographic characteristics of an impacted coastal bay: Baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Continental Shelf Research, 17, 1609–1643. doi:10.1007/s11023-007-9060-8.COPYRIGHT.

Larssouner, C., Bouysse, P., Aufret, J. P. (1982). The superficial sediments of the English channel and its western approach. Sedimentology, 29, 851–864.

Machado, W., Carvalho, M.F., Santelli, R. E., Maddock, J. E. L. (2004). Reactive sulfides relationship with metals in sediments from an eutrophicated estuary in Southeast Brazil. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 49, 89–92. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2004.01.012.

Parker, A. E., Dugdale, R. C., Wilkerson, F. P. (2012). Elevated ammonium concentrations from wastewater discharge depress primary productivity in the Sacramento River and the Northern San Francisco Estuary. Marine Pollution Bulletin , 64, 574–586. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.12.016.

Pettine, M., Casentini, B., Fazi, S., Giovanardi, F., Pagnotta, R. (2007). A revisitation of TRIX for trophic status assessment in the light of the European Water Framework Directive: Application to Italian coastal waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54, 1413–1426. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.05.013.

Rebello, A. L., Haekel, W., Moreira, I., Santelli, R. E., Schroeder, F. (1986). The fate of heavy metals in an estuarine tropical system. Marine Chemistry, 18, 215–225.

Sabadini-Santos, E., Silva, T., Lopes-Rosa, T., Mendonça-Filho, J., Santelli, R., Crapez, M. A. C. (2014). Microbial activities and bioavailable concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Pb in sediments from a tropic and eutrothicated bay. Water air soil Pollution, 225, 1–11.

Silva, F. B., Janilson, F. Silva, Bezerra, R. S., Santos, J. P. (2017). Are biochemical composition parameters of sediment good tools for assessing the environmental quality of estuarine areas in tropical systems? Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 99, 9-18, doi:10.1017/S0025315417001795.

Simboura, N., Pavlidou, A., Bald, J., Tsapakis, M., Pagou, K., Zeri, C., Androni, A., Panayotidis, P. (2016). Response of ecological indices to nutrient and chemical contaminant stress factors in Eastern Mediterranean coastal waters. Ecological Indicators, 70, 89–105. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.05.018.

Sin, Y., Hyun, B., Jeong, B., Soh, H. Y. (2013). Impacts of eutrophic freshwater inputs on water quality and phytoplankton size structure in a temperate estuary altered by a sea dike. Marine Environmental Research, 85, 54–63. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.01.001.

Soares-Gomes, A., Gama, B. A. P., Baptista Neto, J.A., Freire, D.G., Cordeiro, R.C., Machado, W., Bernardes, M. C., Coutinho, R., Thompson, F. L., Pereira, R.C. (2016). An environmental overview of Guanabara Bay. Regional Studies in Marine Sciences, 8, 319–330.

Statham, P. J. (2012). Nutrients in estuaries – An overview and the potential impacts of climate change. The Science of the Total Environment, 434, 213-227. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.09.088.

Strickland, J. D. H., Parsons, T. R. (1972). A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Bulletin of Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Ottawa.

Sundby, B., Gobeil, C., Silverberg, N., Mucci, A. (1992). The phosphorus cycle in coastal marine sediments. Limnology and Oceanography, 6, 1129-1145.

Suguio, K. (1073). Introdução à Sedimentologia, 1st ed. Edgard Blucher/EDUSP, São Paulo.

Venturini N., Pita A.L., Brugnoli E., García-Rodríguez F., Burone L., Kandratavicius N., Hutton M. and Muniz P. (2012). Benthic trophic status of sediments in a metropolitan area (Rio de la Plata estuary): linkages with natural and human pressures. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 112, 139–152.

Vollenweider, R. A., Giovanardi, F., Montanari, G., Rinaldi, A. (1998). Characterization of the Trophic Conditions of Marine Coastal Waters With Special Reference To the Nw Adriatic Sea : Proposal for a Trophic Scale , Turbidity and Generalized Water Quality Index. Environmetrics 9, 329–357.

Wagener, A. L. R. (1995). Burial of organic carbon in estuarine zone-estimates for Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. Química Nova, 18, 534–535.