Influence of physicochemical water characteristics in the transport of methane to the atmosphere at Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, RJ

  • Lia Braz Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
  • Willian José Ferreira Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
  • Marcelo Gomes da Silva Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
  • Plínio Carlos Alvalá Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
  • Luciano Marani Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
  • Getulio Teixeira Batista Universidade de Taubaté
  • Valiya Mannathal Hamza Observatório Nacional
Keywords: Greenhouse effect, trace gases, limnology

Abstract

The accumulation and decomposition of organic matter in water bodies can increase the potential emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. In this study, in a prospective and exploratory way, we evaluated the relationship between physicochemical characteristics of water on the transport of methane to the atmosphere at Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, RJ. In 2011, campaigns were carried out in which 200 samples were collected for analysis of superficial methane emission and 30 water samples were collected to verify the dissolution of this gas in the water column, measuring simultaneously both the physicochemical water parameters along this column. The methane flow measurements showed that this lagoon is a source methane emission to the atmosphere with an average flux of 33 ± 10 mgCH4m-2d-1. The evaluation of limnological parameters that could affect the emission flux revealed that the water depth and temperature were the most influential factors in this process. A profile analysis of methane in the water column suggests the existence of a higher concentration of this gas in the region of the sedimentary strata at the bottom of the lagoon. However, the potential emission may not reach the surface, possibly due to the decrease in the rate of vertical diffusion of methane, as a result of the increase of pressure with depth and the presence of methanotrophic bacterias that consume methane throughout the water column.

Author Biographies

Lia Braz, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
Graduate in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering from the University of Taubate. He is currently a Fellow of the Capacity Building Programme - CIP on the CNPq Associate Laboratory Studies in Environmental Biogeochemistry at INPE, participating in studies related to atmospheric chemistry and physics.
Willian José Ferreira, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
He graduated in Physics from the College of Engineering Guaratinguetá (UNESP), earned a Masters in Environmental Sciences from the University of Taubate in 2011. Since 2002 serves as Technical Associate in the Laboratory for Research on Environmental Biogeochemistry at INPE, where his main research activity is related to the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere.
Marcelo Gomes da Silva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
Graduated in Agronomic Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (1998) and a Masters in Space Geophysics National Institute for Space Research (2010). He has experience in Geosciences with an emphasis in Atmospheric Chemistry
Plínio Carlos Alvalá, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
Graduated in Physics from the Catholic University of São Paulo (1985), Master of Space Geophysics National Institute for Space Research (1990) and Ph.D. in Geophysics Space by the National Institute for Space Research (1995). During the Master developed research related to propagation of VLF waves in the Antarctic region, attending the first winter expedition in Antarctic Station Comte. Ferraz. In doctoral theme was the study of methane emission in the region of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. He is currently a senior researcher at the National Institute for Space Research, developing research involving greenhouse gases, atmospheric chemistry, biogeochemical cycles, particularly methane, nitrous oxide and carbon. It also develops projects related to biomass burning and urban pollution, the production of ozone and its precursors. Conducts research using various platforms with embedded devices on aircraft, balloons and fixed stations. It is responsible for Ozone Laboratory are also developed where research on UV radiation and ozone.
Luciano Marani, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE
Graduated in Physics from the State University of Londrina (2000) and a Masters in Space Geophysics National Institute for Space Research (2003). He completed his PhD in Geophysics Space at the National Institute for Space Research in February 2007. He has experience in Geosciences, with emphasis on Space Geophysics, acting on the following topics: greenhouse, wetlands, methane, tropospheric ozone and CFCs.
Getulio Teixeira Batista, Universidade de Taubaté
he holds a doctorate in agronomy / Remote Sensing - Purdue University, USA, in 1981. He is currently a Professor and Researcher at the University of Taubaté. Received 4 awards and / or honors. Participates than 10 research projects, with 4 of these coordinates. Works in the area of ​​Forest Resources and Forest Engineering, with emphasis on Watershed Conservation. In their professional activities interacted with 389 employees in co-authorship of scientific papers. In your resume Lattes the most frequent terms in the context of scientific, technological and artistic-cultural are: Remote Sensing, GIS, Vegetation Index, Remote Sensing Applications, Land Use, Spectral Mixture Model, Remote Sensing Techniques and classification Land Use. Principal researcher was International Program EOS (Earth Observing System) NASA (Goddard Space Flight Center), where he worked from 1990 to 1992. He was until July 2008 a member of the Advisory Committee of Forest Resources CNPq, is Founder and Editor of the journal Environment and Water - An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Science (ISSN 1980-993X). Editor's Electronic Repository of the University of Agricultural Sciences Taubaté (http://ww.agro.unitau.br/dspace) and President of the Institute of Environmental Research in Watershed (IPABHi) (www.ipabhi.org). Coordinated the First and Second Seminar on Water Resources of the Basin of the Paraíba do Sul (SERHIDRO PS-2007 and PS-SERHIDRO 2009) with support from CNPq, CAPES and FAPESP. He is a member of the Association of Science Editors (ABEC) and Fellow of CNPq PQ.
Valiya Mannathal Hamza, Observatório Nacional
Graduated in Physics - University of Kerala (1962), MA in Applied Physics - University of Kerala (1964) and Ph.D. in Geophysics - University of Western Ontario (1973). Had role as Professor of IAG-USP, Researcher at IPT, Secretary of the International Heat Flow - IHFC and Executive Committee member of the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior - IASPEI. He is currently Full Professor of the National Observatory. Elected in 2007 as the South American representative to the International Heat Flow IHFC. He has extensive experience in Geosciences, especially in the areas of Geothermal Heat and Flow, mainly in the following sectors: heat flow, geothermal, geothermal resources, Tectonophysics, recent climate changes, environmental geophysics, seismicity, thermal properties of geological materials, higher education. Taught over 30 postgraduate courses in Geophysics.
Published
26/12/2012
Issue
Vol. 7 No. 3 (2012)
Section
Papers

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