2025-09-01 MARINE CHEMISTRY 2025 272(卷), null(期), (null页)
Surface sediments from the Jaguaribe River, in a Brazilian semi-arid region, were investigated for the presence of traditional and emerging organic contaminants to identify the multiple pollution sources in the area. Aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were linked to phytoplankton, microbiological species, specific vegetation, and minimal petroleum and pyrolysis compounds. Regarding sterols, higher contributions from stigmasterol and cholesterol were associated with higher plants and zooplankton, respectively. However, coprostanol levels suggested fecal contamination from large mammals, corroborated by the predominance of synthetic over natural hormones. The main origins found for pesticides were their use in health campaigns, agriculture, and domestic use. The toxicity assessment revealed that all stations presented a high risk to biota, especially from hormone and pesticide compounds. This multimolecular approach allowed the identification and differentiation of pollution sources from urban and rural activities and the potential risk for the biota in an important region of Brazil.