DESCRIPTION OF OCEANOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF SAN VICENTE BAY AND ACTUAL RECORDS ABOUT THE POLLUTION EFFECTS

Abstract

San Vicente Bay receives substancial discharges of domestics and industrial efíluent. The heterogeneity of uses and charge of cenobiotics produces alteration of the natural environment. The polluted load became mainly from a Steel industry, a petrochemical complex, fish meal industries, domestic sewage, oil refinery and several sniall industries and activities and discharged without any treatment directly to San Vicente Bay. Actually, the bay show serious environmental damage, expresed by ecological alterations (eutrophicated areas, changes on the benthic fauna distribution), Chemical changes (oxygen deplections, changes on the geochemical cycles of nitrogen and sulphur, high concentration of phenolics compound), drastic esthetic changes (strong odors of waters), high turbity, floating mate riáis and a surface oils film. Following the El A methodology and some modification for the assesment of several actions over a geographical area, we musí be identify the major environmental impact. Finally, a sectorial analysis was proposed, using hydrography pattern, in order to established difieren! standards (use and emission standards) for impact mitigation.