Record of Hg pollution around outset of colonization in Southern Brazil

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 2019-04, Vol.191 (4), p.256-8, Article 256
• Main Authors: da Rosa Quintana, Guilherme Castro, Mirlean, Nicolai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Fur; Animals; Anomalies; Anthropogenic factors; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Brazil; Colonialism - history; Colonization; Consultation; Contamination; Copper; Distribution; Dredging; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Pollution - history; Environmental science; Estuaries; Estuarine dynamics; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; History, 18th Century; Industry - history; Lead; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Mercury - analysis; Mercury - history; Metals; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - history; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Sediment; Sedimentation; Sedimentation & deposition; Sedimentation rates; Sediments; Trace metals; Uranium; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - history
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7404-5

This study presents results of a sediment core located in Coroa de Boi Bay, a not dredged cove within Patos Estuary, Southern Brazil. The distribution of metals (Hg, Cu, Pb) and U in the sediment profile records several contamination events since pre-colonial times to present days. A joint assessment of the distribution of these parameters and the consultation to historical documents allowed us to establish causal links between concentrations anomalies in the sediments and ancient anthropogenic contamination in the area. During the industrial period, sedimentation rates in the bay ranged from 3.4 to 5.5 mm year −1 . Applying a sedimentation rate previously calculated for undisturbed sediments in the Patos Estuary, we trace the beginning of Hg contamination as having started in the colonial period in Southern Brazil, soon after a Hispanic–Lusitanian conflict situation in South America. The most probable source of Hg contamination during this period was carroting technology used in fur processing.