Sediment quality in the Douro river estuary based on trace metal contents, macrobenthic community and elutriate sediment toxicity test (ESTT)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2004

Authors

Mucha, AP (Author) Other; Adriano Bordalo (Author) ICBAS; Vasconcelos, MTSD (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Environmental Monitoring

Vol. 6

Pages: 585-592

ISSN: 1464-0325

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 16 Citations

Scopus - 17 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-D1W

DOI: 10.1039/b401855a

Abstract (EN): The aim of this study was to evaluate the sediment quality in the mesotidal Douro River estuarine environment, in order to identify areas where sediment contamination could cause ecosystem degradation. Samples were obtained in five locations and sediment characterised for grain size, total organic matter, total-recoverable metals (Al, Fe, Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd, Zn and Mn), as well as acid volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM). In situ effects were evaluated by examining the macrobenthic community structure. An elutriate sediment toxicity test (ESTT) was used to estimate the amount of metals and nutrients that could be exchanged with the water column through resuspension, and its positive or negative effects on the growth of the micro-alga Emiliania huxleyi in a 10 day test. Anthropogenic metal contamination was identified at the north bank of the Douro estuary, with deleterious effects on the macrobenthic community, namely decrease in number of species and diversity. This contamination could possibly also be toxic for water column organisms, in case of resuspension, as shown by the ESTT. Sediments from the salt marsh at the south bank showed an impoverished macrobenthic community and elutriate toxicity, which appeared to be due to anaerobic conditions. This study clearly shows the usefulness of the ESST approach to assess the biological effect of resuspension of estuarine sediments.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8