Recreational risk associated with the presence of cyanobacteria in the Baixada de Jacarepaguá Lagoon Complex estuary, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Abstract

The lagoons of the Baixada de Jacarepaguá lagoon complex are located in the west of Rio de Janeiro, comprising the regions of Jacarepaguá, Barra da Tijuca and Recreio dos Bandeirantes. The intense urban occupation of the region since the 1970s transformed this system into a receptacle for all types of waste, whether they come from sanitary sewage in homes and commercial establishments, or from industrial effluents. This led to an accelerated eutrophication process, the consequence of which was the dominance of phytoplankton by toxic cyanobacteria. This work evaluated the presence of potentially toxic cyanobacterial genera in phytoplankton at 3 sampling points in Lagoa da Tijuca and at 1 point on Barra da Tijuca beach (Praia do Pepê), next to the breakwater. The objective of this work was to estimate the potential risks that the human population that frequents this estuary is exposed and to suggest preventive measures.