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Müller MN, Vicente Ferreira Junior A, Zanardi Lamardo E, Yogui GT, Flores Montes MDJ, Silva MA, Lima EJAC, Rojas LAV, Jannuzzi LGDS, Cunha MDGGDS, Melo PAMDC, Carvalho VPCD, Carneiro YMM, Carreira RDS, Araujo M, Santos LPDS. Finding the needle in a haystack: Evaluation of ecotoxicological effects along the continental shelf break during the Brazilian mysterious oil spill. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 357:124422. [PMID: 38914197 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Oceanic oil spills present significant ecological risks that have the potential to contaminate extensive areas, including coastal regions. The occurrence of the 2019 oil spill event in Brazil resulted in over 3000 km of contaminated beaches and shorelines. While assessing the impact on benthic and beach ecosystems is relatively straightforward due to direct accessibility, evaluating the ecotoxicological effects of open ocean oil spills on the pelagic community is a complex task. Difficulties are associated with the logistical challenges of responding promptly and, in case of the Brazilian mysterious oil spill, to the subsurface propagation of the oil that impeded remote visual detection. An oceanographic expedition was conducted in order to detect and evaluate the impact of this oil spill event along the north-eastern Brazilian continental shelf. The pursuit of dissolved and dispersed oil compounds was accomplished by standard oceanographic methods including seawater polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analysis, biomass stable carbon isotope (δ13C), particulate organic carbon to particulate organic nitrogen (POC:PON) ratios, nutrient analysis and ecotoxicological bioassays using the naupliar phase of the copepod Tisbe biminiensis. Significant ecotoxicological effects, reducing naupliar development by 20-40 %, were indicated to be caused by the presence of dispersed oil in the open ocean. The heterogeneous distribution of oil droplets aggravated the direct detection and biochemical indicators for oil are presented and discussed. Our findings serve as a case study for identifying and tracing subsurface propagation of oil, demonstrating the feasibility of utilizing standard oceanographic and ecotoxicological methods to assess the impacts of oil spill events in the open ocean. Ultimately, it encourages the establishment of appropriate measures and responses regarding the liability and regulation of entities to be held accountable for oil spills in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Nils Müller
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil; Macau Environmental Research Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR, 999078, China.
| | | | - Eliete Zanardi Lamardo
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Gilvan Takeshi Yogui
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | | | - Marcus André Silva
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Renato da Silva Carreira
- Department of Chemistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22451-900, Brazil
| | - Moacyr Araujo
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
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da S Moreira TC, de Oliveira AFB, de Lucena PGC, do Nascimento ES, de Almeida LMF, de Araújo-Castro CMV, Rojas LAV, Yogui GT, Zanardi-Lamardo E, Santos JM. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater after the mysterious oil spill of 2019 on the Pernambuco coast, northeast Brazil. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116395. [PMID: 38703626 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
In 2019, one of Brazil's most significant environmental disasters occurred, involving an oil spill that directly affected Pernambuco state. Contamination along the coast was evaluated by the quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fifty seawater samples collected in the summer and winter of 2021. Analysis using fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that for all the samples, levels of dissolved/dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons (DDPHs) were higher than the regional baseline for tropical western shores of the Atlantic Ocean. GC-MS analyses quantified 17 PAHs in the samples, with highest total PAHs concentrations of 234 ng L-1 in summer and 33.3 ng L-1 in winter, which were consistent with the highest risks observed in ecotoxicity assays. The use of diagnostic ratios showed that the coast was impacted by a mixture of PAHs from petrogenic and pyrolytic sources. The results indicated the need for continuous monitoring of the regions affected by the 2019 spill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thayane Cristina da S Moreira
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Petróleo, Energia e Espectrometria de Massas (PEM), Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Flávia B de Oliveira
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Petróleo, Energia e Espectrometria de Massas (PEM), Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Pedro Gabriel C de Lucena
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Petróleo, Energia e Espectrometria de Massas (PEM), Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Estefani S do Nascimento
- Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Leonardo M F de Almeida
- Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil
| | | | - Lino Angel V Rojas
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Centro de Tecnologia e Geociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE 50740-550, Brazil
| | - Gilvan T Yogui
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Centro de Tecnologia e Geociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE 50740-550, Brazil
| | - Eliete Zanardi-Lamardo
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Centro de Tecnologia e Geociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE 50740-550, Brazil
| | - Jandyson M Santos
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Petróleo, Energia e Espectrometria de Massas (PEM), Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil.
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Arruda-Santos RHD, Schettini CAF, Yogui GT, Maciel DC, Zanardi-Lamardo E. Sources and distribution of aromatic hydrocarbons in a tropical marine protected area estuary under influence of sugarcane cultivation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 624:935-944. [PMID: 29275256 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Goiana estuary is a well preserved marine protected area (MPA) located on the northeastern coast of Brazil. Despite its current state, human activities in the watershed represent a potential threat to long term local preservation. Dissolved/dispersed aromatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in water and sediments across the estuarine salt gradient. Concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons was low in all samples. According to results, aromatic hydrocarbons are associated to suspended particulate matter (SPM) carried to the estuary by river waters. An estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) was identified in the upper estuary, indicating that both sediments and contaminants are trapped prior to an occasional export to the adjacent sea. PAHs distribution in sediments were associated with organic matter and mud content. Diagnostic ratios indicated pyrolytic processes as the main local source of PAHs that are probably associated with sugarcane burning and combustion engines. Low PAH concentrations probably do not cause adverse biological effects to the local biota although their presence indicate anthropogenic contamination and pressure on the Goiana estuary MPA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gilvan Takeshi Yogui
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Arquitetura s/n, Recife, PE CEP: 50740-550, Brazil.
| | - Daniele Claudino Maciel
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Arquitetura s/n, Recife, PE CEP: 50740-550, Brazil
| | - Eliete Zanardi-Lamardo
- Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Arquitetura s/n, Recife, PE CEP: 50740-550, Brazil.
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Lemos RTDO, de Carvalho PSM, Zanardi-Lamardo E. Petroleum hydrocarbons in water from a Brazilian tropical estuary facing industrial and port development. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2014; 82:183-188. [PMID: 24680717 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Revised: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A fast paced industrial and port development has occurred at Suape Estuary, Northeast Brazil, but no information about hydrocarbon concentrations in water is available to this area. Considering that, the contamination level of Suape was determined by UV-Fluorescence in terms of dissolved and/or dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons (DDPHs), during wet and dry seasons. DDPHs ranged between 0.05 and 4.59 μg L(-1) Carmópolis oil equivalents and 0.01-1.39 μg L(-1) chrysene equivalents, indicating DDPHs close to a baseline contamination level. Some relatively high concentrations (>1 μg L(-1)) were probably associated with shipyard operations (hull paintings and ship docking), pollutants remobilization by dredging operations, occasional industrial discharges and oil derivatives released by vessels. DDPHs concentrations were lower in the wet season suggesting that the increased dilution rates caused by rainfall dominated upon the wet deposition of atmospheric combustion-derived PAHs process. Results in this study may be used as baseline to further studies in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Thompson de Oliveira Lemos
- Laboratório de Compostos Orgânicos em Ecossistemas Costeiros e Marinhos (OrganoMAR), Departamento de Oceanografia da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50740-550 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Paulo Sérgio Martins de Carvalho
- Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia Aquática (LabEcotox), Departamento de Zoologia da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50670-420 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Eliete Zanardi-Lamardo
- Laboratório de Compostos Orgânicos em Ecossistemas Costeiros e Marinhos (OrganoMAR), Departamento de Oceanografia da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50740-550 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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