Sediments and aquatic mosses as pollution indicators for heavy metals in the Ave river basin (Portugal)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1992

Authors

Gonçalves, EP (Author) Other; Rui Boaventura (Author) FEUP; Mouvet, C (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Science of the Total Environment

Vol. 114

Pages: 7-24

ISSN: 0048-9697

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 51 Citations

Scopus - 49 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00H-67M

DOI: 10.1016/0048-9697(92)90410-t

Abstract (EN): Analytical data are presented for concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in sediments and aquatic bryophytes from the Ave river basin, Portugal. The relative abundance of aquatic bryophytes species was investigated. Fontinalis antipyretica was the most abundant. Natural background levels were determined for both plants and the fine fraction of sediments (< 63-mu-m) collected at uncontaminated sites. Contamination factors at each site were then calculated as the ratio between metal concentrations and background levels. The highest values were found in the Selho river for Cr and in the Este river for Cd, Cu and Zn. Leather tanning, metal plating and textile industries are the main sources of toxic metal contamination in these streams. Differences in contamination factors for plants and sediments are probably related to the hydraulic conditions in the streams. Rapidly flowing waters enhance the metal uptake by plants and the quiescent waters, upstream from weirs, allow the deposition of fine particles and promote metal accumulation in the sediments. Metal pollution indexes calculated as weighted averages of the individual metal contamination factors nevertheless showed a good correlation between mosses and sediments.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18