Baía de Guanabara (Guanabara Bay): Sewage & Water...
Transcript of Baía de Guanabara (Guanabara Bay): Sewage & Water...
Baía de Guanabara(Guanabara
Bay): Sewage &
Water QualityJacalyn Barrella &
Christian Porreca
A brief
History
European settlers
arrived in Brazil during
the 16th century
Naturally, many economic cycles took place:
MiningOrange cultivationTimber exploitation
Sugar-cane cultivationCoffee bean cultivation
Land Reclamation
Many residents
moved to the coast, away
from rural farm areas,
overcrowding Guanabara
Bay
Around 1930 industrialization took off, increasing urbanization and population numbers
Today, although no longer the capital, the city, as well as the
municipality of Rio de Janeiro are of the most industrialized and
populated coastal areas of Brazil
Rio houses 16,000 + industries, gas and oil terminals, and 2 ports…
AND
…
It lies on Guanabara Bay, the second largest bay on the coast of Brazil
It is the second largest bay in Brazil with a perimeter of 143 kilometers
Guanabara Bay is located in southeastern Brazil and connects to the
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The bay measures
30 km from west to east,
28 km from north to south,
covering a total area of 384 km2:
328 km2 of water and
56 km2 of islands
The watershed covers an area of 4,080 km2
16 municipalities contribute liquid effluents to the
watershed:Rio de Janeiro
NilópolisMesquita
São João de MeritiBelford RoxoNova Iguaçu
Duque de CaxiasPetrópolis
MagéGuapimirim
Cachoeira de MacacuRio Bonito
TanguáItaboraí
São GonçaloNiterói
About 7 of the 12 million Rio de Janeiro municipality contributors are from the city of Rio
The inner, shallow regions of the Bay (western and northwestern parts) receive most of the drainage from metropolitan Rio de Janeiro
Here, the water quality is
alarmingly poor:
hypereutrophic conditions & occasional
hypoxic events
Of the 45+ rivers and countless streams
draining into Guanabara Bay, only six rivers
contribute about 85% of the water flowing to
Guanabara Bay
Approximately only 50% of the total
urban sewage into Guanabara Bay is being adequately
treated (experts suspect less)
Over 20 miles long, widening as it goes, it collects water, sewage, and garbage
from millions who live along its tributaries
Rio Sarapuí contributes about
10% of the freshwater feeding
the bay
Almost none of it is treated
Without the implement of wastewater treatment,
Guanabara Bay is in awful shape
The lack treatment can be attributed to
unchecked population growth
since the beginning of industrialization, esp.
within favelas
Sanitation and infrastructure could
not keep up
The health of the bay and
the health of its surrounding
inhabitants is compromised
2016 Summer Olympics
Many Olympians were very concerned even at Copacabana Beach (where the water quality is
generally better than most other bay areas): litter
irritation of the skinstomach issues
With dangerous levels of certain viruses and bacteria at numbers around 1 million times the figures found in southern California beaches,
ingesting just a few teaspoons could be problematic for the athletes
The great promise: treat 80% of the sewage that
flows into Guanabara Bay
At the time, in 2009, only 11% was being treated
Disorganized
▶ Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) is trying to organize the water understanding in the country.
Responsibilities regarding monitoring and
management of resources is shared among the
government, the states and the municipalities.
There is no clear definition of who will
take what responsibility for
different aspects of water responsibility
Therefore, it gets very confusing and disorganized as there is always a
circulation of differing and uncollaborated information
Water Qualityin the Guanabara Bay is
affected by many factors
The rainy season and the dry season alter the
hydrography of the bay
Seasonal differences
The water quality improves during dry periods when
there is less runoff
Seasonal differences
During rainy conditions, runoff from the polluted rivers increased
stratication and eutrophication.
Storm water runoff increases during the wet months, carrying lots more untreated
wastewater to Guanabara Bay
The ocean has the greatest influence on the south and southeast parts of the bay
Ocean water circulation and tidal
changes
There are significant differences in water quality between tidal stage:High tide = better quality
because at high tide, the bay has maximum dilution
Tides influence several parameters:Salinity
Nutrients Chla
Fecal coliform
The semi-diurnal tides combined with
ocean currents is effective in flushing
the bay
This is why the bay is not completely dead after
decades of neglect
It only takes about 11 and a
half days to replace half of the bays water
Renewal is not the same in all parts of the bay
These areas also happen to be where the most densely populated municipalities are located along
the bay.
The innermost regions of the bay have lower circulation and a longer residence time, causing
accumulation of organic matter and other contaminants, making these the most polluted areas
of the bay
section 1. better water quality conditions
section 2. areas with high circulation, but subjected to high organic load
section 3. deteriorated areas under strong influence of urban and industrial contaminants
section 4. areas under the influence of less polluted rivers and that still maintain a fringe of mangrove
section 5. the most deteriorated areas with low circulation and high input of contaminants.
Fecal coliform counts in these inner reaches of the Bay are 4–100 times higher than the maximum acceptable count for recreational waters.
Contaminants
Industrial Waste
Useless materials resulting from manufacturing process
Chemical solvents Paints Paper products By products Metals Radioactive waste Toxic waste Chemical waste Solid waste
Industrial Waste
Sewage treatment can take care of some industrial waste, like conventional pollutants:
▶ BOD ( biological oxygen demand)▶ Fecal coliform▶ Oil and grease
▶ pH▶ Total suspended solids
Industrial Waste
However, most of it cannot ▶ With minimal Industrial plants and many
industries, and gas and oil terminals, ports, too many toxic substances and solids enter the bay untreated
There are lots of numbers:▶ 150 tons of industrial waste-water enters the bay
eachday▶ 10000 tons of hazardous substances are
discharged into the bay per month (813 tons of solid waste per day)
OilOn January 18, 2000 Brazil experienced its most shocking, although not the biggest, oil spill incident(1975 and 1997 also had huge spills)▶ 1.3 million liters of oil spilled from a
pipeline into a swamp next to Guanabara waters, from a refinery under Petrobas
▶ The economy plummeted as fish died / went extinct and were contaminated
▶ Many mangrove forests were killed
This oil fuelled development is further endangering the waters
Airwave Anderson, a local fisherman and activist says Gunabara Bay has become Petrobas’ bay, containing refineries, terminals, shipyards, storage tanks, and underwater pipelines
Petrobas Concerj plant is a refinery being built in the least
spoiled part of the bay (NE)It is the destination for the Oil
from the new pre salt fields
The discovery of billions of barrels of oil off of Rio’s coast poses huge environmental that’s on the bay
Metals
▶ Cr▶ Cu▶ Ni▶ Fe▶ Mn▶ Pb▶ Zn
It comes mainly from factory by products, Pharmaceutical waste, Road runoff, old Boats, and Paint
Affects almost every tophic level, beginning with microbiota, especially the bacteria
Toxic effects are known to humans, but not well known for sOme of the bay animals
Sewage
As clearly noted before, untreated sewage is one of the biggest issues regarding water quality in the Guanabara Bay
FEEMA, the environmental agency for the state of Rio de Janeiro, studied a few parameters which reveal the effects of this
untreated sewage
Mean fecal coliform values in Guanabara Bay ranged from less than 300 MPN 100 ml–1 in the deep channel to more than 10,000 MPN 100 ml–1 near stream discharge points in the northwestern portion of the Bay
Most severe, the coliform concentration reached 100,000 MPN 100 ml–1
However, the mean spatial distribution indicated that more than 70% of the Bay surface waters had coliform counts below 1,000 MPN 100 ml–1 which is the upper limit for recreational use according to the environmental laws of Brazil
Human sewage can carry a number of pathogens, including viruses and bacteria
Enteric viruses are the commonest causes of gastroenteritis worldwide, they are most often transmitted via the faecal-oral route
One study found extreme levels of an enteric virus called adenovirus in Guanabara Bay
Adenovirus can cause a lot of different problems—from diarrhea to respiratory, eye, and skin infectionss
Anthropogenic impacts alter microbial communities in the bayEnvironmental and health issues are a result – 65% of hospitilazations
are due to water transmitted disease in Brazi
Microorganisms
Less impacted sites: bacteria that dwell in oligotrophic (low in plant nutrients, abundant oxygen) waters
Impacted sites: different bacteria groups that thrive in nutrient rich habitats (can be areas with eutrophication)
Many genera that include potentially pathogenic bacteria in the bay:▶ Vibrio
▶ klebsiells▶ pseudomonas
▶ Clostridium ▶ bacillus
Understanding microbiota of the bay helps to understand risks to the people
A huge danger is Antibiotic resistant bacteria
Highly impacted bay areas are rich in antibiotic resistant organisms
Some are super resistant able to take drugs up to 600 times clinical levels, and some are multi resistant
Among these lineages, several human pathogens were identified
Some antibiotic-resistant bacteria have turned up in high levels at Rio’s beaches including Copacabana ablnd
Flamenco beaches
A strain of “super-bacteria” called carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) was detected at
five beaches
microalgaeAquatic microorganisms are reliable and efficient biosensors: because of their fast growth rates, they rapidly reflect environmental changes
Microalgae is used to assess impacts through changes in chlorophyll concentrations in the bay - used to indicate eutrophication since it correlates with nutrient load
Guanabara bay chlorophyll levels are as high as 483 mg/M3 (hypereutrophic conditions)It can increase up to 700mg/M3 during algal blooms
Algal blooms increase with eutrophication, as seen throughout history: The Black Sea and Chesapeake Bay
Algal blooms cause oxygen depletion and toxin release
Shannon’s Diversity index increases in middle of the Guanabara bay (less impacted areas), where it is less affected by eutrophication
Back in 2015, there were over 50 tons of dead fish taken out of the water due to rising of temperatures and a toxic algal bloom
SedimentationFarming
Channelization of the rivers
Deforestation of the watershed
Land reclamation of mangroves
Removal of vegetation for farming and urbanization
Sedimentation rates are very high causing
eutrophication episodes in many parts of the bay, especially at the beginning of the
rainy season
All of these factors have caused
much of the extra silt, sand, mud, and
nutrients to flow down rivers and
into the bay
Adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems in the bay are a result of sedimentation and turbidity:
Large sediment fills bay/stream bottoms, decreasing spawning areas for many fish species and macroinvertebrates habitat
Turbidity, suspended particles in water, makes a murky habitat, decreasing the suitability for much of the aquatic life
sunlight + nutrients = micro algae further increasing turbidity
Trash▶ The BrazilianFederal constitution makes municipalities responsible for protecting
their environment, limiting pollution and Contamination, and preserving forests and wildlife
▶ Cities create their own laws regarding waste management – there is no federal law on waste material management
▶ According to a 2008 survey, only 15% of the country Receives waste collection services
▶ It is most prevalent in Brazil’s southeast
▶ Rio de Janeiro City Urban Cleaning Company Is independently contracted by the city, managing employees, setting budgets, and determining operations
▶ Although possibly effective small scale, there needs to be better financing and collaboration to make a real difference
▶ The Guanabra Bay collects more trash during flood season
The majority of Rio de Janeiro allows rivers to take their
trash away
Lots of trash indicates poorer
areas
Jardim Gramacho
▶ Since 1978, this was the destination for much of Rio’s trash ▶ Largest landfill in South America: equivalent to 244
American football fields and over 300ft high▶ Received over 8,000 tons of trash a day▶ Cracks on the surrounding land indicated overflow of the
dump ▶ Liquid waste was leaking to the bay through Rio Sarapui
and the landfill is often blamed for high pollution levels
▶ It closed a few weeks before the United Nations Rio Olympics summit, as catastrophe was predicted
Summary of risks, issues,consequences
▶ Microbial community adapts to pollution gradiant by altering species composition.. reflet in all upper trophic levels
▶ Fisheries have declined yields▶ Mangroves reduced around 50%▶ Recreation is not recommended▶ Solid waste affects fisheries, navigation, leisure, tourism, and native fauna, as well as the
lanscapes aesthetical value.
Effects of Pollutants on Animals
▶ Historical records show that thousands of fish, dolphins, and whales once swam in Guanabara Bay
▶ “If you look back 100 maybe 150 years, there were so many fish that people would say hitting them was a problem for boats,” says Fabiano Thompson, an oceanographer at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Aside from fish kills…..▶ Numbers of marine mammals have dwindled over the last couple
decades
Pollutants effects on Humans
Waterborne illnesses are a major problem for Rio residents▶ especially Rio’s poorest people who live near the most
polluted parts of the bay and have the least access to sanitation
Seafood contaminated with heavy metals and industrial chemicals cause long-term health concern for Rio residents or anyone eating from the bay
Current situation of bay
2011 “sanitation pact”▶ intended to expand sanitation access for rio – supply of potable water, waste
treatment, urban cleaning service and solid waste management, sotrmwater runoff drainage system – divided into three programs
The Guanabara Bay water quality could be returned to pre-1950 conditions, but it would require sufficient political will and economic investment to ensure that at least 80–90% of the domestic and industrial sewage were treated adequately.
COMPARE TO NYC
New york city has a water crisis as well.The recommended bacterial content for usable water 100 mpn and it was tested at 258 mpnPathogen containing bacteria is released.into the bay when storm surges happen The pipes for storm surge and sewage get overwhelmed when it rains
▶ Fishing in hudson is limited and not legal for the most part▶ PCB’sfrom sewage are contaminating the fish▶ Depositing sewage offshore and in areas of texas is the response By
NYC and not much is being said of the issue▶ Combined sewage systems in many cities in the US will cause 40
million people to be affected by bacteria containing water▶ Though there is sewage treatment, there is still a manod issue due to
the amount of waste water needed to be treated▶ If 50% of wastewater in the guanabarabasin is being treated at all,
then you can imagine the amount o pathogens in the water
cites
▶ http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/what-s-in-rio-s-bay-/▶ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227028954_Anthropogenic_infl
uence_on_the_water_quality_in_Guanabara_Bay_Rio_de_Janeiro_Brazil▶ https://archive.epa.gov/emergencies/content/fss/web/pdf/taampaper.
pdf▶ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4653747/▶ https://mercurilab.units.it/content/assessment-heavy-metals-contaminatio
n-coastal-sediments-guanabara-bay-rio-de-janeiro-brazil▶ http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2015.01232/full▶ http://inthesetimes.com/article/19357/the-rio-olympics-are-a-reflection-of-
our-shared-global-crisis