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Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE

The instantaneous transport of inorganic and organic material in a highly polluted tropical estuary

Carlos E. D. Noriega A C , Marilene Felipe Santiago A , Patrícia Façanha A , Maria da Glória Gonçalves da Silva Cunha A , Rodolfo Araújo da Silva A , Manuel de Jesus Flores Montes A , Moacyr Araújo Filho A , Kátia Muniz Pereira da Costa A , Enide Eskinazi Leça B and Sigrid Neumann-Leitão A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Avenue Arquitetura, postal code: 50670-901 Recife, Brazil.

B Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Avenue Manoel de Medeiros, postal code: 52171-900 Recife, Brazil.

C Corresponding author. Email: carlos.delnor@gmail.com

Marine and Freshwater Research 64(6) 562-572 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF12083
Submitted: 26 March 2012  Accepted: 1 March 2013   Published: 8 May 2013

Abstract

The contribution of the estuarine channel of Recife harbour to the eutrophication of the Recife coastal area was evaluated by quantifying the instantaneous transport of salt, dissolved inorganic nutrients (PO4, SiOH4, NO3, NO2 and, NH4+), material in suspension, Chlorophyll-a, pico–nanoplankton and microplankton during the rainy (June 2007) and dry (November 2007) seasons. The results showed that all of the dissolved nitrogenated nutrients, the silicate and the material in suspension had higher concentrations during the rainy season, whereas the phosphate and Chlorophyll-a (both the total and the pico–nanoplankton and microplankton fractions) showed greater concentrations during the dry season. All of the materials considered were exported to the sea except for Chlorophyll-a (pico–nanoplankton and microplankton fractions) during the dry season, when these materials were imported into the area. The total liquid transport in the rainy season was three times higher than that found for the dry season. Silicate represented nearly 85% of the total exported material during the rainy period, whereas during the dry season, phosphate and silicate represented 79% of the total exported material. The stratification and circulation processes indicated a well mixed environment. The water-renewal rate was low, as demonstrated by the input of phytoplankton biomass during November. The area was characterised as eutrophic during the months investigated.

Additional keywords: nutrient dynamics, Recife city, tidal channel, tropical estuary.


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