Bathing quality of marine waters off Futuro Beach, Fortaleza, Ceará State

Abstract

During 11 months the bacteriological pollution by total (TC) and fecal coliforms (FC) were studied at five beaches (Caça e Pesca-S1, Chico do Caranguejo-S2, Barraca do Louro–S3, Barraca Sobre as Ondas-S4 and Titanzinho-S5) on the eastern coast of Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil. The results were matched to the pluviometric variation. In spite of the methodology having not followed the 274/2000 Act CONAMA, it was possible evaluate the potential pollution by the commercial activity of seaside beach huts, whose water was analyzed. The Most Probable Number (MPN) of FC and TC were found not to be too high. Only two samples, in different months, from Stations S1, S3 and S5 showed NPN counts over 250 FC/100mL and only one MPN count higher than 1,000/100mL. Those inside this limit were just a few (22%) showing that water quality off the beach huts is not all that bad. Pollution by fecal coliforms was not found to be correlated with the rainy season, but some MPN counts showed high values both in rainy months (1,100/100mL of FC (S3) on February and >2,400/100mL of FC on April) and on a dry month, in August (1,100/100mL of FC). Based on these results it is possible to conclude that the beachgoers have no reasons for complaining, but a permanent monitoring of that environment is called for since the increase of the number of beach huts and of the urban population can be increasing factors of pollution levels.