Monthly sampling campaigns were carried out between February 2010 and January 2011 to evaluate the spatial and temporal distribution of nutrients (ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen, phosphate, dissolved organic phosphorus and silicate) and chlorophyll-a along a salinity gradient in the tropical Cachoeira River estuary, subject to the untreated effluents of a sewage treatment plant (STP). During the study period the lowest and highest river discharge occurred in February and April 2010, respectively. High river outflow promoted increased concentrations of inorganic nitrogen and silicate but did not affect the concentration of phosphate. Based on the chlorophyll-a concentration the estuary may be classified as eutrophic / hypereutrophic in its inner portion and mesotrophic in the lower region. The inner portion is more affected by the nutrient load carried out by the river and STP, while dilution by seawater contributed to the reduction of the nutrient concentrations in the lower reaches of the estuary. The results indicate that nutrient uptake by the phytoplankton is the most effective dissolved inorganic nutrient removal processes, especially for phosphate. Mixing diagrams suggest that the coupling of nitrification and denitrification processes is also responsible for the elimination of nitrogen from this ecosystem. R E S U M OCampanhas de amostragens mensais foram realizadas entre fevereiro de 2010 e janeiro de 2011 para avaliar a distribuição espacial e temporal de nutrientes (amônia, nitrito, nitrato, nitrogênio orgânico dissolvido, fosfato, fósforo orgânico dissolvido e silicato) e clorofila-a, ao longo do gradiente de salinidade no estuário tropical do Rio Cachoeira. Este estuário é sujeito aos efluentes de esgotos não tratados de uma estação de tratamento de esgoto (ETE). No período estudado a maior e menor vazão do rio ocorreram em fevereiro e abril de 2010, respectivamente. A alta vazão do rio promoveu aumento das concentrações de nitrogênio inorgânico e silicato, mas não afetou as concentrações de fosfato. Baseado nas concentrações de clorofila-a, o estuário pode ser classificado como eutrófico/hipereutrófico na porção interna e mesotrófico na região externa. A porção interna é mais afetada pela carga de nutrientes do rio e da ETE, enquanto a diluição pela água marinha contribuiu para diminuir as concentrações de nutrientes na porção externa. Os resultados indicam que a absorção de nutrientes pelo fitoplâncton é o processo mais eficiente na remoção desses nutrientes, especialmente do fosfato. No entanto, os diagramas de mistura sugerem que a nitrificação e denitrificação acopladas no rio também são responsáveis pela eliminação do nitrogênio do ecossistema.

RESUMONutrientes inorgânicos dissolvidos, nitrogênio total (NT) e fósforo total (PT), clorofila-a e salinidade foram analisados no estuário do Rio Cachoeira antes e depois da operação de uma estação de tratamento de esgoto (ETE). As concentrações de nutrientes inorgânicos dissolvidos apresentaram grande variação, com valores desde abaixo do limite de detecção a > 45 µM para silicato, > 30 para o nitrogênio amoniacal e > 28 µM para o nitrito. As concentrações de nitrato foram baixas. A clorofila-a variou desde abaixo do limite de detecção a > 60 µg . L -1. A razão molar de nitrogênio e fósforo inorgânico dissolvido (NID:PID) foi maior que a de Redfield (N:P = 16:1) antes e depois da operação da ETE, decrescendo nos meses seguintes. A razão média SiD:NID foram < 1:1. A SiD:PID foi geralmente < 16:1, indicando que o silicato pode estar limitando a produtividade primária. As concentrações de NT foram altas (56,6 -310 µM). O PT variou de 2,07 a 3,54 µM. As concentrações de nutrientes e clorofila-a encontradas neste estudo são características de ecossistemas eutrofizados. A ETE e outras fontes pontuais contribuem com uma elevada carga de nutrientes para este estuário, levando a eutrofização desse sistema. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:nutrientes, razão molar, clorofila-a, esgotos, eutrofização. ABSTRACT Dissolved nutrients and chlorophyll-a in the estuary of river Cachoeira, northern BrazilDissolved inorganic nutrients, total nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll and salinity were analyzed in the estuary of River Cachoeira, before and after the operation of a sewage treatment plant (STP). The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients presented great variation, with values from below the detection limit to > 45 µM for silicate, > 30 µM for the ammonium and > 28 µM for nitrite. The concentrations of nitrate were low. The chlorophyll varied from below the detection limit up to 60 µg . L -1. The molar ratio of dissolved inorganic nitrogen to phosphorus (DIN:DIP) was higher than Redfield (N:P = 16:1) before the ETE operation, decreasing for lower ratios in the following months. The mean DSi:DIN was lower than 1:1. DSi:DIP was < 16:1, generally, indicating that silicate may be limiting the primary productivity. The concentrations of TN were high (56.6 -310 µM). TP varied from 2.07 to 3.54. The concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll found in this study are characteristics of eutrophic ecosystems. The STP and others sources contribute with an elevated load of nutrients for this estuary, and can contribute for the eutrophication of the system.

Sampling was conducted monthly during a transition period between the dry and rainy seasons in order to evaluate the effectiveness of a municipal sewage treatment plant (STP) in eutrophication control. STP effluent and fluvial input data were also estimated. In the dry period, high concentrations of nutrients, chlorophyll a (up to 360 μg L(-1)), and anoxia in bottom waters were observed in the upper portion of the estuary. Nitrate was scarce during the dry months, although high concentrations were observed at the river sources and the upper estuary. The N:P and Si:P molar ratios were usually below 16:1, and the Si:N ratio was higher than 1:1. The fluvial inputs were a greater source of nutrients to the estuary than the STP, but nutrient loading by these effluents were also important in contributing to the eutrophication of the upper estuarine zone, especially in the dry season when symptoms were more intense.

Nitrogen enters estuaries mostly through fluvial discharge and tide, although anthropogenic sources are known to influence the amount of this element in these aquatic ecosystems. Thus, the objective of this work was to verify which river (Cachoeira, Fundão, and/or Santana) exerts greater influence on the distribution of dissolved N forms (Dissolved Organic Nitrogen and Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen = NH/NH, NO, and NO) along a tropical urbanized estuarine system in northeastern Brazil. The studies estuarine system lies with in urban municipality, and the upper portion of the Cachoeira river estuary receives the treated effluent from this municipality through a sewage treatment station and untreated effluents from nearby villages. The selected sampling stations were located near the outfall of the rivers in the estuaries to the treatment plant and the villages. Of all the nitrogen forms, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) prevailed in the estuarine system, followed by nitrate (NO) as the main inorganic form. The highest concentrations were recorded in the fluvial portion and upper estuary of Cachoeira river in the dry season. Based on the N concentrations found in the estuarine system, Cachoeira river has the greatest anthropogenic influence due to the amount of untreated effluents from the villages and treated effluents from the sewage treatment plant (STP) in the upper portion of the estuary.