The history of sewage contamination in the Mundaú-Manguaba estuarine lagoon system (NE Brazilian coastal zone) was evaluated through the concentration of sterols in sediment cores. The concentration of coprostanol increased towards the surface sediments, with the maximum of 5.65 µg g-1 at 0-2 cm sediment layer in Mundaú. Manguaba exhibited a lower level of contamination. The ratio cholestanol/cholesterol suggested degradation of coprostanol only before the burial of organic matter in the sediment. This feature, together with information of population growth in the watershed, allowed the estimation of a sedimentation rate of 0.90 cm year-1 to the Mundaú lagoon.
fecal contamination; sediment core; coprostanol
