Fucus spiralis as monitoring tool of metal contamination in the northwest coast of Portugal under the European Water Framework Directives

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Pedro A Reis (Author) Other; Julia Cassiano (Author) Other; Puri Veiga (Author) Other; M Rubal (Author) FCUP; Isabel Sousa Pinto (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

Vol. 186

Pages: 5447-5460

ISSN: 0167-6369

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 21 Citations

Scopus - 21 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Earth and related Environmental sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-R7E

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-014-3794-6

Abstract (EN): Metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in coastal seawaters and soft tissues of macroalga Fucus spiralis from the northwest coast of Portugal were determined to assess spatial variations of metal bioavailabilities and bioaccumulation factors to compare different ecological quality classifications. Both coastal seawaters and soft tissues of F. spiralis showed significant spatial variations in their metal concentrations along the coast. The macroalgae F. spiralis accumulated more efficiently Cd, Mn and Zn and showed low bioaccumulation factors to Cr, Cu and Fe. Regarding the metal guidelines of the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, the entire northwest (NW) coast of Portugal in April 2013 should be classified as 'class I-unpolluted' for all metals, except in Ave for Cu ('class II-moderately polluted') and Cavado for Cd and Cu ('class II-moderately polluted'), revealing the low metal bioavailabilities of these seawaters. As there were always significant positive correlations between all metals in seawaters and F. spiralis, this macroalga species was considered a suitable monitoring tool of metal contamination in the NW coast of Portugal and a useful aquatic organism to be included in the European Environmental Specimen Banks in order to establish a real-time environmental monitoring network under the European Water Framework Directives.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14