SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC MATTER IN SURFACE SEDIMENTS FROM SEPETIBA BAY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Spectroscopic techniques are powerful tools for molecular organic matter assessment in sediments, which analysis request low sample mass and are cheap, fast and easy to obtain. The aim of this work was to evaluate the elemental (C, N) and molecular composition of the organic matter in relation to the grain-size distribution over surface sediments from Sepetiba Bay. Spatial distribution of grain-size was remarkable heterogeneous, with the internal area presenting the highest levels of fine sediments, organic carbon (0.20-3.45%) and total nitrogen (