PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL MONITORING OF THE LINHARES (ES) AND SÃO MATEUS (ES) AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM AFTER THE BREAKING OF THE FUNDÃO DAM, MARIANA, MINAS GERAIS

On November 5, 2015, the rupture occurred of the Fundão dam of the mining company Samarco, located in the sub-district of Bento Rodrigues-MG, 35 km from the center of the Brazilian municipality of Mariana-MG, approximately 16.000 Olympic pools of mining residue circulated through the district of Bento Rodrigues in a period of only 11 minutes. The plume of this environmental impact extended approximately 800 km in the Rio Doce basin, between Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo. The Ipiranga river, located between Linhares and São Mateus, was one of the last sites affected by the waste from the Doce river basin, having contact with the sea in the Urussuquara-ES restinga, a place that is a nursery of biodiversity, especially the marine and estuarine ichthyofauna, besides being of great importance for artisanal fishing and ecotourism. The present study aimed to monitor the Ipiranga River and Urussuquara Beach for all seasonal seasons, beginning in September 2017 and ending in May 2018, the following variables were analyzed: dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, hydrogenation potential (pH), transparent, temperature, depth and total dissolved solids, comparing them to the Resolution CONAMA n°. 357, de 17/03/2005, with the purpose of evaluating the quality of estuarine and marine waters. The results found were alarming and evident foci of negative impacts on the aquatic ecosystem and society dependent on artisanal fishing for their subsistence.