Development of environmental and natural vulnerability maps for Brazilian coastal at São Sebastião in São Paulo State

In this study, environmental and natural vulnerability maps developed for a Brazilian coastal region at São Sebastião City in São Paulo State helped to address a better understanding of the ecosystem fragility. Intense anthropogenic activities take place in the site that are mainly related to the petroleum industry and involve the operation of refineries and storage/transport of gas/oil by pipelines. A Geographical Information System (GIS) allowed the maps elaboration and analysis, where the region vulnerability was classified into five indexes: very low, low, medium, high and very high. The results depicted well the most vulnerable areas in the site, which should receive special care for their preservation. They include the coastal zones, the fluvial marine plain, the mangrove and the urban area of São Sebastião City. The results reported herein also show that the approach utilized may provide the decision makers with tools to develop an integrated coastal zone management for preserving the environmental resources in São Sebastião municipality. The methodology adopted is of easy implementation and adaptation to other areas, only taking into account the decision rules fitting diverse criteria imposed by the new reality.     

Weathering rates and anthropogenic influences in a sedimentary basin,São Paulo State,Brazil

The weathering rate of rocks and chemical dynamics of the Corumbataı́ River basin, São Paulo State, Brazil, were evaluated using major elements as natural tracers. This basin has serious environmental problems in terms of quality of surface and rainwater, which affect the determination of weathering rate. The Corumbataı́ River, downstream from Rio Claro City, receives several elements/compounds through anthropogenic activities, with only K, SO₄²⁻ and alkalinity yielding positive flux values. The negative flux of some anions/cations can be attributed to atmospheric loading mainly related to anthropogenic inputs, providing K a value of 16.7 ton/km⁻²a⁻¹ for the material removed by weathering in the Corumbataı́ River basin. This is equivalent to 26×10⁶ kg of rock being removed each year by the Corumbataı́ River. The instantaneous flux was found to be a function of discharge, with the majority of dry residue (dissolved load) being transported during the summer (wet) months. The removed material in Corumbataı́ River basin derives mainly from two sub-basins (Cabeças River and Passa Cinco River), where the sandstones weather more easily than siltstones and claystones in the basin.     

Multicusped crocodyliform teeth from the Upper Cretaceous (São José do Rio Preto Formation,Bauru Group) of São Paulo,Brazil

The six peculiar multicusped teeth described here were collected from sediments of the Upper Cretaceous of São José do Rio Preto Formation, near Ibirá (northeastern São Paulo, Brazil). Their bulbous crowns are slightly labio-lingual compressed, and bear a main plus two accessory cusps, which conceal a well developed cingulum. Wear facets are seen on the main and distal accessory cusps. Comparison to the known Crocodyliformes with multicusped teeth show that the new material is not referable to “protosuchians” or eusuchians, nor related to two unnamed forms from Morocco and “notosuchians” such as Uruguaysuchus, Chiamaerasuchus, and Simosuchus. On the other hand, possible affinities with Candidodon and Malawisuchus were maintained based on shared traits. This includes teeth with the main cusp and some accessory cusps arranged in more than one axis, a previously defined unambiguous apomorphy of the putative clade composed of Candidodon plus Malawisuchus. The term Candidodontidae can be applied to this group, and defined as all taxa closer to Candidodon itapecuruensis than to Notosuchus terrestris, Uruguaysuchus aznarezi, Comahuesuchus brachybuccalis, Sphagesaurus huenei, Baurusuchus pachecoi, and Crocodylus niloticus.     

Overview of the Late Cretaceous Biota of the western São Paulo State,Brazil, Bauru Group

The Turonian–Maastrichtian beds of the Bauru Group, western São Paulo State (Brazil), have yielded a diverse biota. The nine species of mesoecrocodilians are all mesosuchians. There is a single frog, a Neubatrachia. The vertebrates include, four types of fishes, a neobatrachian frog, an anilioid snake, two lizard, six species of podocnemid turtles, nine species of mesosuchian mesoecrocodilians three theropods, two birds, five titanosaurid sauropods, and one mammalian. The invertebrates include one cyclo, one cyclophoroid and eight pulmonates. Plants are represented by only two carophyte species. The biota from western São Paulo State is one the most diverse of the Late Cretaceous in Brazil. The biota from this area confirms that Bauru Group was connected to Patagonia and other Gondwanan areas during the Late Cretaceous.     

First record of petrified Permian pecopterids from the Paraná Basin,Brazil (Corumbataí Formation,Passa Dois Group,northeastern State of São Paulo): Morphology,anatomy and paleoecological implications

Petrified pecopterids are described for the first time in the Paraná Basin. They were collected at an outcrop of the Corumbataí Formation (Passa Dois Group, Middle Permian) in the Municipality of Piracicaba (State of São Paulo, Brazil). The assemblage is composed of Pecopteris taguaiensis Rohn and Rösler, 1986, Pecopteris sp. 1, Pecopteris sp. 2 and Pecopteris sp. 3. An emendation to the diagnosis of P. taguaiensis is proposed on the basis of the characteristics shown by the preserved three-dimensional external leaf morphology and partially by the epidermis (not available in the previously described impressions). The small size of the pinnules, the thick, downward-rolled leaf lamina, the thick veins, the straight walls of the epidermal cells, and the trichomes of the four pecopterid taxa may be interpreted as xeromorphic features developed in response to relatively dry climatic conditions and/or direct incidence of the sunlight. The leaves were impregnated with silica before the final burial, considering that they are fragmented, not deformed and associated with angular breccia clasts.     

GIS-based environmental risk assessment in the Ribeira Valley,São Paulo,Brazil

The Ribeira Valley region (State of Sao Paulo, Brazil) hosts the largest Brazilian Atlantic forest reserve. The region was an important mineral district during the ‘60s, from where several tons of lead and other metals were exploited. Residual materials produced by the mining are diffused in the environment until today. The area also encompasses a regional arsenium anomaly associated with unexplored gold deposits. The population presently living in this region performs basic farming activities, from which most of their food is yielded. These features coupled together imply in a complex relationship between natural and anthropogenic factors that are likely to affect the life and health of the local communities. The aim of this paper is to apply digital data integration techniques for environmental risk assessment in the Ribeira Valley using environmental geochemistry. Geochemical, digital elevation and remote sensing data (Landsat Thematic Mapper) were merged and analyzed using a geographical information system. The assumed model considered environmental mobilization through erosion and anomalous As–Pb areas. Data were analyzed through Boolean and fuzzy logic techniques. Fuzzy logic proved superior in this case study as it allowed not only the detection but also the distinction between low, moderate and high environmental risk areas.     

First record of oligocene conchostracans (Tremembé formation,Taubaté Basin) from São Paulo,Brazil

In this paper the first Oligocene conchostracans are described from the Tremembé Formation (Taubaté Basin) of Brazil, these are also the first known Oligocene conchostracans in the world. References to a few other Cenozoic conchostracan discoveries are also discussed. Tremembeglypta saadi nov. gen. et sp. is compared with different members of the family Loxomegaglyptidae, specifically with Paraleptestheria menglaensis Chen, the only member of the family described from the Lower Tertiary of China. Paleobiological and environmental comments about conchostracans and their associated fish fauna are included. Finally, the importance and implication of this find are briefly discussed.     

Circulation and mixing due to tidal forcing in the Bertioga Channel, São Paulo, Brazil

Bertioga Channel is a partially mixed (type 2) tidal estuary on the coastal plain of São Paulo, Brazil. Hourly current and salinity measurements during neap and spring tides in July 1991 yielded information about the physical structure of the system. Peak along-channel velocities varied from 40 cm s^?1 to 60 cm s^?1 during flood tides and from 70 cm s^?1 to 100 cm s^?1 during ebb tides. Net vertical velocity profiles indicate that the net current reverses directions at a depth of 2.5–3.0 m in the halocline. Due to appreciable fortnightly tidal modulation, the estuary alternates from being highly stratified (type 2b) during neap tides, with advection and diffusion contributing equally to the net upstream salt flux, to being moderately stratified (type 2a) during spring tides, when 90% of the net upstream salt transport is the result of effective tidal diffusion. Decomposition of the salt flux indicates that the relative contribution to the upstream salt transport by gravitational circulation shear is greater than the oscillatory tidal flux by a factor of 2.6 during neap tides. The oscillatory tidal flux is generated by the correlation of the tidal components of the u-velocity and salinity and is responsible for approximately the same amount of upstream salt transport, during neap and spring tides. However, during spring tides, this oscillatory term is greater than the other salt flux terms by a factor of 1.4. The total salt transport, through a unit width of the section perpendicular to the flow, was within 2% of the sum of the seven major decomposed, advective and dispersive terms. On the assumption that the Bertioga Channel is laterally homogeneous, the results also indicate that the estuary is not in steady state with respect to salt flux.     

Magmatism and fenitization in the Cretaceous potassium-alkaline-carbonatitic complex of Ipanema S?o Paulo State, Brazil

The Ipanema alkaline-carbonatitic complex is part of the Meso-Cenozoic alkaline magmatism located within the southeastern part of the Brazilian Platform. Drill-core and field sampling have indicated the occurrence of glimmerites, with subordinate shonkinites (mela-syenites), clinopyroxene-bearing glimmerites, diorites and syenites. The glimmerites are cross-cut by lamprophyric dykes and calciocarbonatites. Fenitization has deeply affected the country rocks, originating dioritic and syenitic rocks. The Ipanema rocks show a distinct potassic affinity. The initial Sr-Nd- isotopic composition of the Ipanema rocks (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr?=?0.70661–0.70754 and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd?=?0.51169–0.51181) is similar to that of tholeiitic and potassium-rich-alkaline rocks of the Eastern Paraguay. Stable isotope data for the Ipanema calciocarbonatite suggest interaction with fluids at temperatures typical of hydrothermal stages, as hypothesized for other carbonatite complexes from southeastern Brazil. The chemical differences between the lamprophyre, glimmerites, carbonatites, apatitites and magnetitites, and the absence of marked REE enrichment in the evolved lithologies, all indicate that fractional crystallization and accumulus of liquidus phases in a magma reservoir, likely coupled with liquid immiscibility processes, may have played an important role in the genesis of the Ipanema rocks.     

Micro- and nano-inclusions in a superdeep diamond from São Luiz,Brazil

We report cloudy micro- and nano-inclusions in a superdeep diamond from São-Luiz, Brazil which contains inclusions of ferropericlase (Mg, Fe)O and former bridgmanite (Mg, Fe)SiO₃ and ringwoodite (Mg, Fe)₂SiO₄. Field emission-SEM and TEM observations showed that the cloudy inclusions were composed of euhedral micro-inclusions with grain sizes ranging from tens nanometers to submicrometers. Infrared absorption spectra of the cloudy inclusions showed that water, carbonate, and silicates were not major components of these micro- and nano-inclusions and suggested that the main constituent of the inclusions was infrared-inactive. Some inclusions were suggested to contain material with lower atomic numbers than that of carbon. Mineral phase of nano- and micro-inclusions is unclear at present. Microbeam X-ray fluorescence analysis clarified that the micro-inclusions contained transition metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) possibly as metallic or sulfide phases. The cloudy inclusions provide an important information on the growth environment of superdeep diamonds in the transition zone or the lower mantle.     

Relation between sedimentary framework and hydrogeology in the Guarani Aquifer System in São Paulo state,Brazil

This paper presents the results of a new investigation of the Guarani Aquifer System (SAG) in São Paulo state. New data were acquired about sedimentary framework, flow pattern, and hydrogeochemistry. The flow direction in the north of the state is towards the southwest and not towards the west as expected previously. This is linked to the absence of SAG outcrop in the northeast of São Paulo state. Both the underlying Pirambóia Formation and the overlying Botucatu Formation possess high porosity (18.9% and 19.5%, respectively), which was not modified significantly by diagenetic changes. Investigation of sediments confirmed a zone of chalcedony cement close to the SAG outcrop and a zone of calcite cement in the deep confined zone. The main events in the SAG post-sedimentary history were: (1) adhesion of ferrugineous coatings on grains, (2) infiltration of clays in eodiagenetic stage, (3) regeneration of coatings with formation of smectites, (4) authigenic overgrowth of quartz and K-feldspar in advanced eodiagenetic stage, (5) bitumen cementation of Pirambóia Formation in mesodiagenetic stage, (6) cementation by calcite in mesodiagenetic and telodiagenetic stages in Pirambóia Formation, (7) formation of secondary porosity by dissolution of unstable minerals after appearance of hydraulic gradient and penetration of the meteoric water caused by the uplift of the Serra do Mar coastal range in the Late Cretaceous, (8) authigenesis of kaolinite and amorphous silica in unconfined zone of the SAG and cation exchange coupled with the dissolution of calcite at the transition between unconfined and confined zone, and (9) authigenesis of analcime in the confined SAG zone. The last two processes are still under operation. The deep zone of the SAG comprises an alkaline pH, Na–HCO₃ groundwater type with old water and enriched δ¹³C values (<?3.9), which evolved from a neutral pH, Ca–HCO₃ groundwater type with young water and depleted δ¹³C values (>?18.8) close to the SAG outcrop. This is consistent with a conceptual geochemical model of the SAG, suggesting dissolution of calcite driven by cation exchange, which occurs at a relatively narrow front recently moving downgradient at much slower rate compared to groundwater flow. More depleted values of δ¹⁸O in the deep confined zone close to the Paraná River compared to values of relative recent recharged water indicate recharge occur during a period of cold climate. The SAG is a “storage-dominated” type of aquifer which has to be managed properly to avoid its overexploitation.     

Magnetic Fabrics and Paleomagnetism on Mesozoic Dike Swarms from S?o Sebasti?o and Ubatuba Regions, NE S?o Paulo State SE Brazil.

正The Mesozoic magmatism in Southern Brazil is represented mainly by the basaltic flows of the Serra Geral Formation,the tholeiitic dikes swarms from the Ponta Grossa Arch,Florianópolis,and along the coast between     

Geoelectrical mapping of contamination in the cemeteries: the case study in Piracicaba,São Paulo/Brazil

This paper presents the results of electrical resistivity methods in the area delineation that was potentially contaminated by liquefaction products, which are also called putrefactive liquids in Vila Rezende municipal cemetery, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The results indicate a depth of water table between 3.1 and 5.1 m, with two groundwater direction flows, one to the SW and another to the SE. Due to the contamination plumes, which have the same groundwater direction flow, as well the conductive anomalies observed in the geoelectric sections, the contamination suspicions in the area were confirmed. The probable plume to the SE extends beyond the limits of the cemetery. The location of the conductive anomalies and the probable contamination plumes showed that the contamination is linked with the depth of the water table and the burial time. Mapping using the geostatistical method of ordinary kriging applied to the work drew structural characteristics of the regional phenomenon and spatial behavior of the electrical resistivity data, resulting in continued surfaces. Thus, this method has proved to be an important tool for mapping contamination plumes in cemeteries.     

Current situation of the ichnological locality of São Domingos from the Corda Formation (Lower Cretaceous), northern Tocantins state,Brazil

In the 80's, Leonardi treated the presence of a vertebrate ichnological locality from the Barremian Corda Formation, Parnaíba Basin, on the left bank of the Tocantins river, near of the São Domingos town, Itaguatins, State of Tocantins, Brazil. Originally, the record was composed of at least seven in situ trackways, accounting for fifty six tracks. Since 2011, the Hydroelectric Power Plant do Estreito has begun to work, causing the development of a water reservoir 160 km upstream to the ichnological site, causing periodic and highly energetic floods over the footprints-bearing level and altering it. The imprints are poorly to moderate preserved, but it is possible to distinguish the general morphology and the spatial arrangement of the footprints. The specimens are represented by pes imprints, mostly circular to subcircular, with no digital and claw impressions. No distinguishable manus imprints are present. The trackways are relative narrow with respect to the size of the tracks, so they are considered into the Parabrontopodus-like category. The São Domingos tracks have been originally assigned to iguanodontid dinosaurs, and posteriorly related to a sauropodian origin. This idea is herein accepted, particularly to a basal sauropod, basal macronarians, or diplodocoids. Up to date, the tracks from the São Domingos locality are the only vertebrate fossil record from the Corda Formation, meaning an important contribution to the Cretaceous ichnofauna from South America.     

Soil quality indicator of oxisols grown with sugarcane and native forest in northeastern São Paulo state,Brazil

The evaluation of soil quality is an important tool for degradation monitoring and sustainable management implementation. The objective of this study was to measure physical and chemical soil properties to set soil quality and validate a model of soil quality indicator in latosols (oxisols) under sugarcane cropping and native forest. The study was carried out in the cities of Araras, Santa Ernestina, and Guariba in São Paulo State, Brazil. We collected 24 samples of disturbed and undisturbed soil at 0.0–0.10 m layer from three areas grown with sugarcane and neighboring locations under native woodland. We assessed the following soil properties: (a) chemical—pH in CaCl₂, organic matter (OM), phosphorus (P), potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), potential acidity (H?+?Al), aluminum (Al³⁺), and sulfur (S); (b) physical—macro- and microporosity, soil bulk density (Ds), aggregate stability, mean weight diameter (MWD), rill (K_r) and interrill (K_i) global erodibility, shear stress (τc), and magnetic susceptibility (MS). Data underwent multivariate statistics to identify the properties that denote soil quality and to set their weights within the functions of soil quality indicator (SQI). This study showed that the multivariate analysis was efficient in determining which physical and chemical properties were most sensitive, of which we can mention total sand, MS, clay, microporosity, Mg, Ca, pH, and OM. We can therefore conclude that the quality indicators of soils grown with sugarcane were lower than those under forest were, showing the need for adoption of conservation management practices.     

Anomalous content of chromium in a Cretaceous sandstone aquifer of the Bauru Basin,state of São Paulo,Brazil

Anomalous and natural concentrations of Cr⁶⁺, occasionally exceeding the permitted limit for human consumption (0.05 mg/L), have been detected in groundwater in the northwestern region of the state of São Paulo. As part of a water-rock interaction investigation, this article describes the chemical and mineralogical characterization of rock samples taken from boreholes in the municipality of Urânia, with the objective of identifying Cr-bearing minerals and determining how chromium is associated with these minerals. Rock sample analysis were performed using X-ray Fluorescence, X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, electron microprobe and sequential extraction techniques. Chemical analyses indicated that the quartzose sandstones show a geochemical anomaly of chromium, with an average content of 221 ppm, which is higher than the reported chromium content of generic sandstones (35 ppm). Diopside was identified as the primary Cr-bearing mineral potentially subject to weathering processes, with a chromium content of up to 1.2% as Cr₂O₃. Many of the diopside grains showed dissolution features, confirming the occurrence of weathering. Sequential extraction experiments indicated that 99.3% of the chromium in samples is tightly bonded to minerals, whereas 0.24% is weakly bonded via adsorption. Assuming hypothetically that all adsorbed chromium is released via desorption, the theoretical Cr concentration in water would be one order of magnitude higher than the concentrations of Cr⁶⁺ detected in groundwater.     

Geophysical investigation using resistivity and GPR methods: a case study of a lubricant oil waste disposal area in the city of Ribeirão Preto,São Paulo,Brazil

Geophysics has been shown to be effective in identifying areas contaminated by waste disposal, contributing to the greater efficiency of soundings programs and the installation of monitoring wells. In the study area, four trenches were constructed with a total volume of about 25,000 m³. They were almost totally filled with re-refined lubricating oil waste for approximately 25 years. No protection liners were used in the bottoms and laterals of the disposal trenches. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the potential of the resistivity and ground penetrating radar (GPR) methods in characterizing the contamination of this lubricant oil waste disposal area in Ribeirão Preto, SP, situated on the geological domain of the basalt spills of the Serra Geral Formation and the sandstones of the Botucatu Formation. Geophysical results were shown in 2D profiles. The geophysical methods used enabled the identification of geophysical anomalies, which characterized the contamination produced by the trenches filled with lubricant oil waste. Conductive anomalies (smaller than 185 Ωm) immediately below the trenches suggest the action of bacteria in the hydrocarbons, as has been observed in several sites contaminated by hydrocarbons in previously reported cases in the literature. It was also possible to define the geometry of the trenches, as evidenced by the GPR method. Direct sampling (chemical analysis of the soil and the water in the monitoring well) confirmed the contamination. In the soil analysis, low concentrations of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found, mainly naphthalene and phenanthrene. In the water samples, an analysis verified contamination of the groundwater by lead (Pb). The geophysical methods used in the investigation provided an excellent tool for environmental characterization in this study of a lubricant oil waste disposal area, and could be applied in the study of similar areas.     

Heavy metal distribution in recent sediments of the Tietê-Pinheiros river system in São Paulo state,Brazil

The concentrations and possible chemical associations of Al, Fe, Mn, Ca, Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni and Cr in sediments of the Tietê-Pinheiros river system in São Paulo state, Brazil, were studied using a 3-step sequential extraction protocol recommended by the Standards, Measurements and Testing Programme (SM&T, formerly BCR). A single extraction with 0.1 mol l⁻¹ HCl was applied in parallel to anoxic and air-dried samples. The river system crosses the metropolitan area of São Paulo (MASP), which houses a population of nearly 17 million people, and receives a large load of industrial and domestic wastes. Samples were collected from reservoirs in the surroundings of MASP, named Billings, Pirapora and Rasgão, and from the Barra Bonita reservoir, that is located in the Tietê river, 270 km downstream from São Paulo city. The distribution of metals indicates the recent pollution characteristics for samples from the Billings, Pirapora and Rasgão reservoirs. In these sediments the metals are associated to a large degree with reactive forms such as sulphides and carbonates, or adsorbed to amorphous oxyhydroxides of Fe and Mn. In samples from Barra Bonita, heavy metals are mainly associated with the residual fraction, suggesting that their concentrations are controlled significantly by transport processes with fine particles as carriers from diffuse pollution sources.     

First Data on the Isotopic Age of Zircons from Rocks of the Roseta Ultramafic Massif,Southern Margin of the São Francisco Craton (Brazil)

Doklady Earth Sciences - The results of isotope U–Pb dating of zircons from lherzolite and vein olivine orthopyroxenite composing the Roseta ultramafic massif are presented. The zircons...