Metal levels and foraminifera occurrence in sediment cores from Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Guanabara Bay, located at Rio de Janeiro, is an example of an impacted coastal environment due to the high influx of industrial and domestic effluents. Four sediment cores were sampled in areas with different levels of pollution and were analyzed for trace elements and foraminifera for abundance. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to determine As, Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, Sb, Sc, and Zn. The effects of metal concentrations in the benthic foraminifera were studied. The low concentrations of the benthic foraminifera and the dominance of opportunistic species in coastal regions such as Ammonia may be correlated to natural stress or anthropogenic impact.