The purpose of this paper is to give a preIiminary qualitative assessment of the soft bottom macrofauna of the Ba,y of Santos and adjacent areas. Sixty-three sampIes were taken by the 'Emília' with grab and otter trawl gears. 149 different species of benthic animaIs were collected, of which 52 were polychaets, 26 Iamellibranchs, 20 echinoderms, 17 crustaceans, 14 gastropods, 4 cnidarians and 16 beIonging to other taxonomic categories. The most frequent species were the polychaets Audouinia tentacuZata, Poecilochaetus australis, Onuphis quadricuspis, Owenia fusiformis, Telepus setosus and Telepsavus costarum. The gastropod Littoridina australis varo nana occurred in high densities in the sampIes collected in the inner part of the Santos channel. Ophiactis lymani was found to be the most widely distributed ophiuran in this region. The Iamellibranchs Mesodesma mactroides, TiveZa mactroides, Donax hanleyanus and the thaIassinid Callianassa major are common in the sand beaches of the bay. In the mangrove region numerous decapods occurred of the following genera: Uca, Ucides, Aratus, Metasesarma, the "Maria mulata", crab Goniopsis cruentata, etc. Five different station groups and two more areas may be recognized in the region of the Bay of Santos and the homonimous channel.
In order to determine the sedimentological and physico-chemical characteristics of the benthic environment and also the level, distribution and probable sources of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sediment samples were collected at 28 stations in the northeast portion of Todos os Santos Bay. The centre and the east region of the study area showed characteristics of depositional environments with the predominance of silt and clay and high percentages of TOC, nitrogen and sulphur. The molar C/N ratios varied between 8.8 and 27.6 indicating a mixed origin of organic matter with variable marine and continental contributions. Total aliphatic hydrocarbon concentrations ranged between 1.56 and 246.91 µg.g-1 dry weight, corresponding the high concentrations to the stations situated in the centre and in the east region of the study area. The UCM represented between 60 and 96% of the total aliphatic hydrocarbons, indicating a high degree of anthropogenic contribution and the presence of petroleum degraded residues. Total PAH concentrations varied from 8 to 4163 ng.g-1 dry weight. The highest total PAH concentration was recorded at station 5 situated adjacent to the oil refinery. Com o intuito de determinar as características sedimentológicas e físico-químicas do ambiente bentônico e também o nível, distribuição e prováveis fontes dos hidrocarbonetos alifáticos e policíclicos aromáticos, foram coletadas amostras de sedimento em 28 estações localizadas na porção nordeste da Baía de Todos os Santos. A região central e leste da área de estudo apresentaram características de ambientes deposicionais com predomínio de silte e argila e com maiores teores de carbono orgânico total, nitrogênio e enxofre. As razões C/N variaram entre 8,8 e 27,6 indicando uma origem mista da matéria orgânica com contribuições marinha e continental relativamente variáveis. As concentrações de hidrocarbonetos alifáticos totais variaram entre 1,56 e 246,91 µg.g-1 de sedimento seco, correspondendo as maiores concentrações às estações localizadas na região central e leste da área de estudo. A Mistura Complexa não Resolvida (UCM) representou entre 60 e 90% dos hidrocarbonetos alifáticos totais, indicando um alto grau de contribuição antrópica e a presença de resíduos de petróleo degradado. As concentrações de hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos totais variaram de 8 a 4163 ng.g-1 de sedimento seco. A maior concentração de hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos foi registrada na estação 5 situada na área adjacente à refinaria de petróleo
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