Sediment physicochemical properties condition pollutant association: a multivariate study of polybrominated diphenyl ethers on the Mendoza river irrigation areas

LANA, N B; KOCH, E; D`ANGELO, J A; CIOCCO, N; ALTAMIRANO, J

REVISTA DE LA FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS AGRARIAS DE LA UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CUYO

UNIV NACIONAL CUYO

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2014 vol. 46 p. 57 - 71

0370-4661

Thi s work is a multidisciplinaryenvironmental study that provides new insightsinto the relationships between sediment-organicmatter characteristics and polybrominateddiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) concentration. The aimof the present multivariate study was to correlatefactors influencing PBDEs accumulationin sediment by using principal componentanalysis (PCA). Organic matter studies byFourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy andphysicochemical analyses (Total OrganicCarbon, pH, electrical conductivity) of sedimentsamples were considered for PCA. Sampleswere collected from an artificial irrigationnetwork on the Mendoza River irrigation areas.PCA provided a comprehensive analysis of thestudied variables, identifying two componentsthat explained 63% of the data variance. Thosefactors were mainly associated to organic matterdegradation degree, which represent a newinsight into the relationships between organicmatter in sediments and PBDEs fate. In thissense it was possible to determine that not onlythe content but also the type of organic matter(chemical structure) could be relevant whenevaluating PBDEs accumulation and transportin the environment. Typification of organic mattermay be a useful tool to predict more feasibleareas where PBDE, may accumulate, as wellas sediment transportation capability.