The impact of anthropogenic activity at the tropical Sergipe-Poxim estuarine system, Northeast Brazil: Fecal indicators

Abstract The individual concentrations and sources of sterols in sediments samples collected in two periods 2017 (dry period /March and rainy period/August) were determined along with the Sergipe-Poxim estuarine system, Aracaju, Brazil. The individual sterols concentration ranged from 135 to 21,746 ng g−1 (March) and 191 to 144,748 ng g−1 (August) and the distribution was mainly dominated by β-sitosterol in both periods with 37.2% (March) and 70.8% (August) of the total sterols found. In all the sampling sites, the coprostanol levels were higher than 100 ng g1 (March) and 500 ng g−1 (August), indicating sewage contamination. Diagnostic ratios between sterols suggested the predominance of sewage sources. Pearson correlation assessed a correlation significant (March) and negligible (August) between coprostanol concentration levels and organic matter. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the sterols levels influenced strongly C1, as well as C2 distinguished between the plant sterols and from sewage.