The present work aimed to evaluate the contamination of Escherichia coli in the surface waters and oysters from two cultivations of Guaratuba Bay and to analyze the correlation patterns among the concentrations of E. coli in the waters and in the oysters with the local physical-chemical parameters. Samples were collected in the spring of 2007 and summer, autumn and winter of 2008 from two points of the bay (internal point and external point). From each cultivation and sampling period, 18 oysters were collected. The samples of surface water were collected for the measurement of physical-chemical parameters (pH, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, seston, particulate organic matter) and quantification of E. coli. The surface water analyzed in the summer presented the largest most probable number of E. coli, (1,659.22 MPN.100 ml-1 and 958,55 MPN.100 ml-1 at external and internal points, respectively. The oysters from the internal point presented more E. coli, except in the winter sampling. The largest contamination was observed in the spring, at the internal point (979,78 MPN.g-1). The Principal Components Analysis showed direct correlation among the amount of E. coli in the oysters and in the surface water.

The mangrove's sediments from the coastal areas under human activities may contain significant contaminations by hydrocarbons, even when there are no visual evidences of it. The microorganisms are essential to these ecosystems, especially in the control of their chemical environment. Sediment samples were collected in two regions under different environment conditions (pristine and contaminated) of the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex (Paranaguá Bay and Laranjeiras Bay), Brazil. Aliphatic hydrocarbons were determined by the GC-FID to assess the status of contamination of the studied areas. The total DNA was extracted from these samples. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified by the PCR reactions with the pair of primers 21F and 958R for the archaeal domain, and 27F and 1492R for the bacterial domain. Comparisons of communities were made by the ARDRA technique, using the HinfI restriction enzyme. The phosphate concentration showed significant differences between the two regions. The aliphatic hydrocarbons analysis showed the presence of unresolved complex mixture (UCM), an indicator of oil contamination, in the samples from the Paranaguá Bay, which was corroborated by the concentration of total aliphatic hydrocarbons. The ARDRA profile indicated that the structure of archaeal and bacterial communities of the sampled areas was very similar. Therefore, the anthropogenic influences in the Paranaguá Bay showed to be not sufficient to produce disturbances in the prokaryotic dominant groups.

In this work, the density of bacterioplankton, bacterial biomass and environmental variables were monitored in two seasons (summer and winter), two times each month (spring tide and neap tide sampling), over a 12 h period, comprising a tidal cycle (semidiurnal), from subsurface and bottom waters, in a fixed station in the Estuarine Turbidity Maximum Zone (ETMZ) of Paranaguá Bay, Brazil. The data were treated with multivariate analyses methods in order to indentify the key controlling factors of the bacterial community dynamics. The microbial community seemed to be structured by a close relationship with the nutrients concentration, mainly by total phosphorous and nitrate. Regardless of variations throughout the tidal cycles, free-living bacteria had a dominant role on the Paranaguá's Bay ETMZ.

Foi objetivo da presente pesquisa, avaliar a qualidade da água de quatro gamboas do Paraná, Brasil, que sofrem influências antrópicas distintas. Em cinco coletas trimestrais, foram obtidas, as seguintes variáveis em águas superficiais: temperatura, salinidade, pH, alcalinidade, dióxido de carbono, oxigênio dissolvido, nitrito, nitrato, N-amoniacal, fosfato, silicato, material particulado em suspensão, substâncias húmicas, clorofila total, coliformes totais e coliformes termotolerantes. Os resultados mostraram que a temperatura da água apresentou características tipicamente subtropicais com valores significativamente menores no inverno em todas as estações. A salinidade (7 - 25‰) e o pH (7,08 - 7,91) mais elevados, registrados na Gamboa Perequê, indicaram que somente este curso d´água é influenciado pelo mar adjacente. As quantidades baixas de oxigênio dissolvido, chegando a anoxia, altas de fosfato (8,11 - 208,11 µM), N-amoniacal (0,90 - 75,33 µM), coliformes totais (<200 - 160.000 NMP 100 mL-1) e coliformes termotolerantes (<200 - 50.000 NMP 100 mL-1) observadas na Gamboa Olho d´Água indicam que esta apresenta características típicas de eutrofização, principalmente no verão, época de maior pluviosidade e maior fluxo de turistas na região. As gamboas Perequê, Penedo e Barranco podem ser caracterizadas como gamboas meso- e oligotróficas.

The aim of this wat was to evaluate the water quality in four tidal creeks of Paraná, Brazil, with different anthropic influences. Samples were collected every three months. Temperature, salinity, pH, alkalinity, total CO2, dissolved O2, nitrite, nitrate, N-ammoniacal, phosphate, silicate, particulate suspended matter, humic matter, total chlorophyll, total and fecal coliform bacteria of surface water were measured in each sample and compared. For all the stations water temperature was lower in winter, but ranged within typically subtropical values. Salinity (7 - 25) and pH (7.08 - 7.91) were higher in Perequê tidal creek indicating that only this tidal creek was strongly influenced by the nearby ocean waters. Lower dissolved O2, reaching anoxic levels along with higher phosphate and N-ammoniacal concentrations and higher total (<200 - 160,000 MPN 100 ml-1) and thermotolerant coliforms (<200 - 50,000 MPN 100 ml-1) in Olho d´Água suggested euthrophication, especially in summer when rainfall was higher and tourism was at its peak. Perequê, Penedo and Barranco Creeks were characterized as meso- and oligotrophic environments.

O propósito principal da presente pesquisa foi investigar as florações de Trichodesmium erythraeum na plataforma continental interna do Estado do Paraná, Brasil. Foram medidas, em águas de superfície a temperatura, salinidade, bactérias totais, biomassa bacteriana, clorofila-a, densidade fitoplanctônica, densidade das cianobactérias Anabaena sp., Merismopedia sp. e T. erythraeum. Ao contrário dos dinoflagelados, cuja abundância foi relativamente constante em todas as estações, as diatomáceas cêntricas e penadas, Anabaena sp. e Merismopedia sp. foram mais abundantes até a isóbata dos 15 m. A densidade de bactérias totais também foi relativamente homogênea na área amostrada, o que sugere que as florações de T. erythraeum não se encontravam em fase senescente. Os resultados confirmam que T. erythraeum é capaz de sobreviver em condições ambientais relativamente inóspitas devido à sua capacidade de fixar nitrogênio e efetuar a fotossíntese em altas intensidades de luz.

Studies were carried out on Thrichodesmium erythraeum occurring on the inner shelf in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Temperature, salinity, rainfall, wind velocity, total bacteria, bacterial biomass, chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton, Anabaena sp., Merismopedia sp. and T. erythraeum densities were measured in surface water. Centric and pennate diatoms, Anabaena sp. and Merismopedia sp. were most abundant at 15 m isobath, while dinoflagellate abundance was relatively constant among stations. Similarly, total bacterial densities were relatively homogeneous throughout the sampling area, suggesting that blooms of T. erythraeum were not yet in the senescent phase. Results showed that T. erythraeum was capable of surviving in relatively inhospitable environmental conditions, due to its ability to fix nitrogen and to photosynthesis at high light intensities.

Com o objetivo de verificar a influência da maré sobre as bactérias foram realizadas coletas de águas superficiais em cinco pontos desde a desembocadura da gamboa (Est. 1) até o seu final (Est. 5) ao longo da Gamboa do Perequê (Estado do Paraná, Brasil), durante as preamares e baixa-mares de sizígia e quadratura em julho de 1999. Foram avaliados os seguintes parâmetros: salinidade, temperatura, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, gás carbônico, seston, matéria orgânica particulada, pluviosidade, clorofila, bactérias heterotróficas totais, biomassa bacteriana, heterotróficas aeróbicas cultiváveis halófilas e halófobas, coliformes totais e Escherichia coli. Os resultados mostraram que os valores mais altos de salinidade, pH e oxigênio dissolvido nas estações de 1 a 4 foram registrados durante as preamares de sizígia. As quantidades de heterotróficas totais foram diretamente proporcionais aos valores de seston e clorofila nas estações 2 e 3 durante a baixa-mar de 28 de julho, e na estação 5 durante a preamar do mesmo dia. Os valores de bactérias heterotróficas aeróbicas halófilas, de halófobas e de coliformes totais e E. coli apresentaram correlação direta com a matéria orgânica particulada e a pluviosidade. Os maiores destes valores foram registrados durante a baixa-mar de quadratura do dia 06 de Julho. Este período foi caracterizado por altas pluviosidades, que podem ter influenciado a variação bacteriana. Durante a preamar de quadratura e, esporadicamente, durante a baixa-mar de quadratura e sizígia, foram registrados os menores valores de bactérias heterotróficas totais e de biomassa bacteriana. Os resultados mostraram grande influência da maré sobre as bactérias das estações 1 a 4, mas não sobre a estação 5.

The influence of tidal phase on bacteria abundance in surface waters was studied in five stations along the Perequê tidal creek (Paraná State, Brazil), at spring and neap low and high tides in July 1999. The stations were located from the mouth (St.1) to the creek's head (St. 5). The following parameters were analyzed: salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total carbon dioxide, seston, particulate organic matter, pluviosity, chlorophyll "a", total heterotrophic bacteria, bacterial biomass, cultivable heterotrophic aerobic halophilic and halophobic bacteria, total coliforms and Escherichia coli. The results showed that the highest values of salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen at stations 1 to 4 were registered during the spring high tide. The amount of total heterotrophic bacteria was directly proportional to seston and chlorophyl values at stations 2 and 3 during low tide of July 28, and at station 5 during high tide of the same day. The values of cultivable heterotrophic aerobic halophilic and halophobic bacteria, total coliforms and E. coli, were directly correlated with particulate organic matter and pluviosity. The largest of these values were registered during the neap low tide of July 6. This period was characterized by high precipitation, which may have influenced the bacterial number variation. During the neap high tide and, sporadically, during the neap and spring low tide, the lowest values of total heterotrophic bacteria and bacterial biomass were registered. The results showed great influence of the tide on the bacteria at stations 1 to 4, but not at station 5.

A variabilidade espacial da concentração de bactérias heterotróficas totais e cultiváveis, assim como de coliformes totais e fecais foi investigada em águas superficiais das baías de Paranaguá e Antonina. Para tanto foram efetuadas coletas ao longo de seis pontos em um transecto entre a entrada da Baía de Paranaguá e a parte interna da Baía de Antonina. Também foram obtidos dados de temperatura, salinidade, oxigênio dissolvido, pH, matéria orgânica particulada, transparência e seston da água. Para a contagem das heterotróficas totais e a avaliação da biomassa bacteriana foi usada a microscopia de epifluorescência. A contagem de heterotróficas aeróbicas foi efetuada com o meio de cultura ZoBell 2216E, preparado com água destilada (0‰) e água salina (32‰). O número mais provável de coliformes totais e fecais foi avaliado através de meio de cultura cromogênico. A ACP dos dados abióticos e bióticos mostrou um gradiente da parte interna da Baía de Antonina para a parte externa da Baía de Paranaguá, com um aumento da concentração de bactérias totais e de heterotróficas cultiváveis halófobas na Baía de Antonina e valores máximos de halófilas na parte mediana da Baía de Paranaguá. O número máximo de coliformes fecais foi observado próximo à cidade de Paranaguá. Concluiu-se que, no que se refere à distribuição bacteriana, a parte externa do estuário é altamente influenciada pelo oceano adjacente e a parte interna tem características tipicamente estuarinas.

Spatial variability in the concentration of total bacteria, saprophytes and coliforms abundance was investigated in surface waters of Paranaguá and Antonina Bays. Six points along a profile from the entrance of Paranaguá Bay to the innermost part of Antonina Bay, were sampled on February 26, 1997. Temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, particulate organic carbon, water transparency and seston were also measured. Determination of total bacterial abundance and biomass were made with the epifluorescent method. Saprophytic bacteria counts were conducted with ZoBell 2216E culture medium with fresh and 32‰ water and the coliform MPN was enumerated with the chromogenic substrate method. Principal component analysis of biotic and abiotic data showed a gradient from the innermost bay to the baymouth bar with an increase in total and halophobic aerobic cultivated bacteria concentration at Antonina Bay. Greatest values of halophilic aerobic cultivated bacteria were found at the bay’s middle part. The greatest fecal coliform number was observed near Paranaguá City. We concluded that regarding bacterial spatial distribution the outer region of the estuary was highly influenced by the adjacent ocean and that the inner part had typical estuarine characteristics.