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