Distribuição e quantificação de hidrocarbonetos em sedimentos do estuário do rio Sergipe

• Ano de defesa: 2012
• Autor(a) principal: Lima, Manoel Bomfim
• Orientador(a): Alexandre, Marcelo da Rosa
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Sergipe
• Programa de Pós-Graduação: Pós-Graduação em Química
• País: BR
• Palavras-chave em Português: Biomarcadores geoquímicos; Sedimento; Estuário; Rio Sergipe
• Palavras-chave em Inglês: Geochemical biomarkers; Sediment; Estuary; Sergipe river
• Área do conhecimento CNPq: CNPQ::CIENCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA::QUIMICA
• Link de acesso: https://ri.ufs.br/handle/riufs/6170

The Sergipe River Watershed is located in the central region of the state of Sergipe. It flows from west to east, covering 26 municipalities, with a corresponding area of 3.673 Km2 and population of 1,213,607 inhabitants in its surrounding, according to the 2010 census of the Brazilian Geography and Statistics (IBGE). In this region are developed several activities, among them we can highlight the activity of fishing, petroleum extraction and water supply for human consumption. The present work aims to understand the distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons in the Sergipe River estuary. Studying the hydrocarbons distribution, or geochemical biomarkers, one can infer on how the sedimentary deposition of saturated alkanes and isoprenoids happens, as well as the environmental impact associated with this input. To conduct this study, eighteen samples of surface sediments were collected along the estuary. To understand the distribution of these hydrocarbons, a number of geochemical indices were used, among them there is the Carbon Preference Index (CPI), the Terrestrial Aquatic Ratio (TAR), the pristane/phytane ratio, etc. The results found indicate human influence, which can be observed from the high concentrations of even n-alkanes in the homologous series. It was also observed in seven of nine points studied the presence of unresolved complex mixture (UCM), most significant evidence of petrogenic contamination. In the samples collected during the winter time, the n-alkanes showed concentration values between 9.86 and 30.78 μg.g-1 while in the summer, theses values showed variation between 2.8 and 26.1 μg.g-1. The amount of unresolved complex mixture (UCM) in the winter sampling campaign ranged between 31.1 and 500.1 μg.g-1, whereas in summer, this variation ranged from 1.2 and 135.8 μg.g-1. The total aliphatic hydrocarbons found in the samples collected in the winter ranged from 12.5 up to 553.2 μg.g-1 and in the summer, from 9.7 to 236.7 μg.g-1. The distribution indexes and composition parameters suggest a predominantly anthropogenic origin in seven of nine sites studied. For two sampling sites (P6 and P9) the indices point out to a predominantly biogenic origin. For the sampling sites P4 and P5, in the winter, the CPI was 1,1 and 1,2 respectively, indicating that the origin of the hydrocarbons in the region is anthropogenic; being supported with CPI values in the summer, 0.9 to 3.3 respectively. The results found in this study show that there is a very strong relationship with the profile of each sampling point. There are several characteristics that describe each sampling point, such as the presence of harbors were small boats are used for transport between the city of Aracaju and Barra dos Coqueiros, as well as small ships and fishing boats activities that possible generate hydrocarbons residues which eventually will sink in the sediments.