Bioavailability of heavy metals of natural and anthropic origin in estuarine cohesive sediments.

GRECCO,L.E.,GOMEZ,E.A.,BOTTE, S. AND MARCOS, A.

RIO DE JANEIRO/PARATI, BRASIL

Congreso; INTERCOH09; 2009

Estuaries usually behave as a “geochemical trap” for dissolved materials, firstly increasing their concentration and eventually transferring them to cohesive sediments through different processes. Many anthropogenic pollutants are associated to clay minerals, or have at least a similar dynamical behavior. Such reasons sustain the fact that potentially dangerous substances (including heavy metals) spread out to be concentrated in those places where low environmental energy allows fine sediment to settle as tidal flats and artificial mooring sites.