Metal levels in sediments from the Minho estuary salt marsh: a metal clean area?

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Reis, PA (Author) Other; Antunes, JC (Author) Other; Marisa M R Almeida (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

Vol. 159

Pages: 191-205

ISSN: 0167-6369

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 46 Citations

Scopus - 48 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-DVP

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-008-0622-x

Abstract (EN): Total-recoverable metals (Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in sediments from Minho estuary salt marsh were determined to evaluate possible increase in anthropogenic contamination by metals and to evaluate the possibility of this area to be considered a pristine area in terms of metals, which can be used as a reference site for other metal-contaminated national and international estuaries/salt marshes. This study revealed that the spatial distribution of metals in the salt marsh sediments was not homogeneous and that two sampling sites (sites 5 and 7) had indications of anthropogenic contamination. However, metal levels in these salt marsh sediments were lower than those observed in the wetlands of the main Portuguese estuaries. Comparison with Portuguese and international reference values used in the evaluation of the ecological quality of sediments, indicated that the sediments can be classified as "clean sediment" and that metal levels were lower or similar (only for Cu and Ni) to the values of ERL, which are the values that define the concentrations ranges that are rarely associated to adverse biologic effects in organisms. In addition, metal levels in the sediments were in chemical forms that were not easily available to organisms, indicating that these sediments probably will not have negative influences in the organisms living in the salt marsh, although no life-form ecological safety tests have been carried out. Therefore, the Minho estuary salt marsh area can probably be considered a pristine area in terms of metals and can be used as a reference for other metal-contaminated estuaries/salt marshes.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15