Assessment of historical fecal contamination in Curitiba, Brazil, in the last 400 years using fecal sterols

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2014-09, Vol.493, p.1065-1072
• Main Authors: MACHADO, Karina S, FROEHNER, Sandro, SANEZ, Juan, FIGUEIRA, Rubens C. L, FERREIRA, Paulo A. L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Brazil; Continental surface waters; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Feces; Natural water pollution; Pollution; Rivers - chemistry; Soil and sediments pollution; Sterols - analysis; Water Pollutants - analysis; Water Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.104

A 400-year sedimentary record of the Barigui River was investigated using fecal biomarkers and nutrient distribution. The temporal variability in cholesterol, cholestanol, coprostanol, epicoprostanol, stigmastanol, stigmasterol, stigmastenol, sitosterol, and campesterol between 1600 and 2011 was assessed. Anthropogenic influences, such as deforestation and fecal contamination from humans and livestock, were observed from 1840. The sterol ratios exhibit evidence of hens, horses, cows, and an unknown herbivore, which may be a capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), from 1820 and has been observed more markedly from 1970 onward. Human fecal contamination was detected from 1840 and was observed more markedly from 1930 due to population growth. Thus, the sanitation conditions and demographic growth of Curitiba seemed to be the main factors of human sewage pollution, as the coprostanol concentration over time was strongly correlated with the population growth (r=0.71, p