Open AccessBiodisponibilidade da Matéria Orgânica dos Sedimentos Superficiais da Baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Author(s) -
Frederico Sobrinho Silva,
José Augusto Pires Bitencourt,
Fernanda Savergnini,
Leandro Viana Guerra,
José Antônio Baptista-Neto,
Mírian Araújo Carlos Crapez
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
anuário do instituto de geociências
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.202
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1982-3908
pISSN - 0101-9759
DOI - 10.11137/2011_1_52-63
Subject(s) - organic matter , total organic carbon , bay , trophic level , environmental chemistry , benthic zone , sediment , environmental science , chemistry , ecology , biology , oceanography , geology , paleontology
Thirty superficial sediment samples were collected in Guanabara Bay in order to identify new trophic state and environmental quality descriptors for coastal systems. A biochemical approach was used for analyzing the quality and quantity of sedimentary organic matter and metabolic bacterial activity. The samples were analyzed for particle size; organic matter, protein, carbohydrate, lipid, biopolymeric carbon, and bioavailable carbon levels; and bacterial metabolic activity. The results show a homogeneous spatial distribution for the anaerobic bacteria web and for biopolymers (carbohydrates>;lipids>;protein). The NE area of the bay displayed sediment lipid levels above 1 mg/g, indicative of organic sewage input. Spatial distribution of the superficial sediments in relation to other variables was not significant (p>;0.05). Biopolymers and labile organic matter showed a significant correlation with the average particle size of 80% of the fine particles. Despite the availability of labile organic matter, under the form of biopolymeric carbon, only 50% of the carbon was available to the trophic web. The bacterial consortia formed by sulfate reducing and denitrifying bacteria sustain the benthic trophic food web in Guanabara Bay.