An assessment of the chemical composition of precipitation and throughfall in rural-industrial gradient in wet subtropics (southern Brazil)

Abstract

The chemical composition of bulk precipitation and throughfall were analyzed, during a 1-year period (2002), in rural-urban-industry gradients with similar forest cover (Eucalyptus spp.) in southern Brazil (Rio Grande and Porto Alegre cities). Values of pH varied from 5.0-5.1 in rural to 5.4-6.1 in industrial sites, and were intermediate in urban sites. The major ions in bulk precipitation were Na+, Cl-, NH+(4), NO-(3), and PO(3-)(4), and concentrations increased in urban and industrial sites. Principal component analysis identified the local main anthropogenic sources. Estimated annual amounts of dry deposition were generally greater in both industrial and urban sites than in rural sites. Areas close to industrial activity showed greater S and N total deposition (10.4-10.9 and 20.2-30.6 kg/ha, respectively) than in urban (3.4-7.3 and 14.6-24.1 kg/ha) and in rural (1.7-2.6 and 8.9-12.1 kg/ha) sites. Annual deposition of Ca and P varied from 0.6 and 3.0 kg/ha in rural to 45.4 and 32.4 kg/ha in industrial sites, maximum values being observed closed to the phosphate fertilizer plant of Rio Grande. Deposition in urban and industrial sites may be balanced by the alkaline cations, as bulk precipitation pH varied from 5.4 to 6.1, and was greater than in rural sites (5.0-5.1).

Quantificação de nutrientes na precipitação em um plantio de Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus globulus subsp. maidenii, Eldorado do Sul, RS

“…Casartelli et al (2008), optando-se por não usar estas substâncias, como em Juknys et al (2007); Laclau et al (2003).…”

Trophic quality of waters in the Patos Lagoon estuary: a comparison between its margins and the port channel located in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

“…In this study, phosphate concentrations at the margins were ten-fold the average ones in the channel; the highest values were found in the industrial district (SM2). Point sources of phosphate nutrients comprise domestic and industrial effluents, whereas diffuse sources comprise atmospheric depositions coming from phosphate fertilizer plants in the industrial district (Casartelli et al, 2008). Soybean processing companies and fertilizer plants release clandestine effluents into the waters in the Saco da Mangueira.…”

Caracterização da qualidade da água da chuva na bacia Carbonífera Catarinense, sul de Santa Catarina

“…A acidificação das chuvas é um problema ambiental bem conhecido em muitas regiões do mundo, principalmente nos locais de maior concentração industrial (MIRLEAN;VANZ;BAISCH, 2000;CASARTELLI et al, 2008). Nascida na era industrial, a chuva ácida é uma das manifestações marcantes de toxicidade atmosférica induzida por atividades humanas (SANUSI et al, 1996).…”