Dissolved heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni) concentrations in surface water and porewater from Bahia Blanca estuary tidal flats.

SANDRA BOTTE; HUGO FREIJE,; JORGE MARCOVECCHIO

BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY

Springer Sci.Publ.

Lugar: New York, USA; Año: 2008 vol. 79 p. 415 - 421

0007-4861

Abstract The concentrations of dissolved cadmium,lead, chromium and nı´quel were determined in surfacewater column and pore water, collected from the extensivetidal plain at Bahı´a Blanca estuary, Argentina. Threedifferent polluted areas were selected to study the spatialvariation of these metals. The concentration ranges withinthe water column were slightly variable (Cd: 0.18–2.48 lg L–1; Pb: 0.38–7.53lg L–1; Cr: 0.89–5.83 lg L–1;Ni: 0.81–3.49 lg L–1), and displayed a clear gradientrespect to the industrial area. Significant differences(contrast tests) between sites were detected for Cd, Pb andNi. Very similar concentrations of Cd (0.18–3.41 lg L–1),Pb (0.38–5.83 lg L–1), Cr (0.89–9.37 lg L–1), Ni (0.81–6.56 lg L–1) were found in the porewater at all sites. Theresults suggested that both environmental compartments(water column and tidal flats porewater) may be affectedby similar point and non-point heavy metal sources.