From sambaquis (shell mounds) to plastic debris: a summary of the geological imprint of human occupation in the coast of São Paulo (Southeast Brazil)

In this work, we present a brief revision of the geological evidence of human activities in the coast of São Paulo (Southeast Brazil), from pre-historical times to the present. We analyze case studies in different sectors of the coast, identifying the main historical causes that resulted in environmental changes with their consequent imprint in the sedimentary column. There was a south-to-north trend in the occupation at the colonization period (1500 onwards), essentially determined by differences in the geomorphology of the area. Finally, the accumulation of artificial radionuclides and plastic debris in the sediments is discussed.