The sediment quality of Ribeira de Iguape River is affected by former Pb extraction mining. Some studies affirm the restoration status of the basin, however, mobility of metals and its associated risk is still questioned. This study integrates the metal concentrations in the lower part of the basin with different contamination source to determine the existence of risks associated with the mobile fractions of the geochemical matrix. Despite concentrations of metals were low and the environmental risk factor values were negative, our results indicated that As, Mn, Pb, and V were present in the most labile forms. The multivariate analysis conducted using metal concentrations, environmental risk factor values and speciation suggested that any risk would be associated with the labile fractions of the analyzed elements, especially for Pb. The station from Registro was stressed by Co, Pb and Zn; with Pb under the reactive fraction that could be associated with high mobility and potential bioavailability.
The Coastal Zone (CZ) is of great importance in maintaining natural resources and life. This region presents multiple anthropic activities of economic, social and environmental interest, which can be potentially harmful to natural ecosystems. Furthermore, it is estimated that one third of the world's population inhabits the CZ. In Brazil, neither the intensification of CZ activities nor population growth have frequently been followed by the implementation of the basic infrastructure required, which has caused the CZ to become an area with conflicts of interest and uses. In this study, the Complexo Estuarino-Lagunar Iguape-Cananéia (CELIC) region was chosen for an analysis of basic sanitary conditions, because it presents a profile that is unique along the São Paulo coast. This region was chosen in an attempt to understand whether it is managed in a way that promotes both quality of life and a healthy environment. To achieve that, information on different indicators involving sanitation, the healthcare system, the population, the economy and the environment were collected from public databases and the pressure-state-response (PSR) framework was used to integrate all of the collected information. The study presents relatively mild pressures when compared to other coastal regions from the state of São Paulo, although in CELIC, pressures present an increasing pattern. Status indicators show that there are structural deficiencies in terms of basic needs, such as health and sanitation. Government responses, however, have not addressed these problems, especially the health issues. Though the local economy has evolved consistently, the current status of sanitation and health structures reveals failings in these services, a situation which shows that economic gains did not effectively result in improvements to these structures. Thus, despite favorable conditions (low population size, the presence of protected areas, and the concentration of the population in urban areas), which should facilitate the planning and management of the aforementioned institutions, the pressure seems to keep increasing. It has resulted in a scenario in which the lack of infrastructure for healthcare and sanitation stand out and there seems to be a lack of political initiative toward actions that aim to mitigate or resolve the problems.
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