Page 29 - PR 2014 2016 07 Nuclear Science and Technology

Nuclear Science and Technology | Progress Report 171

other slightly soluble elements, which end up
as sediments. The purpose was to undertake
a comparative study of biogeochemical im-
pacts in this area, with emphasis to the Valo
Grande influence, analyzing sediment sam-
ples collected along the region. The sediment
samples (superficial and cores) were analyzed
by INAA technique. The focus was on the Rare
Earth Elements (REE) behavior and distribution Fig 19. Sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus (Lamarck, 1816).
in this estuarine system and surroundings.
These findings are very important, consid-
ering the different scenarios of impact and
environmental preservation contained in the
various sectors of a single system, seeking to
highlight processes of transportation and dis-
tribution of materials, as well as the recording
of preterit processes. Finally, this work allows
the verification of the potential of this tool in
the evaluation of natural and anthropogenic
environmental contributions in coastal water
systems. (Partnership: Environmental Compa-
ny of the São Paulo State - CETESB, Instituto
Oceanográfico - IOUSP, Instituto de Geociências
da USP; Financial support: FAPESP). Fig 20. Sea urchin, Sterechinus Neumayeri (Meissner, 1900).

Biomonitoring of marine pollution by using the Lytechinus variegatus species and
Comandante Ferraz Brazilian Antartic Station
Sea urchins are marine and benthic inverte- (EACF), part of the Brazilian Antarctic Base,
brates, many of which sessile or with reduced King George Island, Admiralty Bay, Antarctica,
mobility. The species Lytechinus variegatus by using Sterechinus neumayeri species. In
(Lamarck, 1816) is geographically widely dis- this last region, two places were chosen: the
tributed, from North Carolina, in the United “control” place known as Botany (62 05. 400’ -
States, to the South of Brazil (Figure 19). The 62 05. 556’ S; 058 18,127’ - 058 18. 612’ W) and
species Sterechinus neumayeri (Meissner, 1900) the other, the “contaminated” one, an area
is most abundant in shallow Antarctic seawa- near the station where a fire occurred in 2012,
ter, from the coast until 400 m depth (Figure consuming about 70% of the facilities. After
20). The purpose of the present study was to collection, a mixture of gonads and gut of the
verify if these sea urchin species can be used sea urchins (20 individuals of each site) were
as biomonitor for metal contamination studies prepared for analyses. Two analytical tech-
in two regions. In each region, two different niques were applied and the concentrations
places were selected for study: The north coast of the following elements were determined:
of São Paulo, the São Sebastião Channel (con- some trace elements (As, Ba, Br, Ca, Co, Cr, Rb,
taminated region) (23.058’ – 23.053’S) and Sb and Sc) and micronutrients (Ca, Fe, K, Na,
Ilhabela (control place) (45.230’ – 45.589’W) Se and Zn) by instrumental neutron activation