Emissões de óxido nitroso em águas fluviais não poluídas e poluídas da Bacia do Rio Paquequer (Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro)

Abstract

Dissolved N2O concentrations and water-air fluxes (using floating chambers) were measured along the Paquequer River and in some tributaries. Concentrations ranged from 0.32 to 4.7 μgN.L-1 and fluxes from <0.56 to 141 μgN.m-2.h-1. The lowest N2O concentrations and fluxes were found in the headwaters of Paquequer river and in Príncipe brook, and the highest within the urban boundaries and in Fischer brook. Dissolved N2O concentrations and water-air fluxes were positively correlated with highly variable NH4+ concentrations. Mass emission rate of N2O in the polluted stretch of Paquequer River is likely to be higher than the estimate 0.62 kgN.day-1 since transfer by turbulent degassing in falls, cascades and rapids were not determined.