CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

This study evaluated the occurrence and distributionof largely known pollutants (Ag, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg,Ni, Pb, Pd, and Zn), as well as emerging ones (Li, and V) in the waterdissolved fraction, suspended particulate matter, and surface sediments fromthe lower course of the Negro River, Argentina. There are scarce preceding dataon inorganic pollution in the entire watershed and, in the case of the emergingpollutants, there are almost no studies performed worldwide. Sampling wasconducted in 2019 at six sampling sites, three of them mostly river dominated and the rest under marine domain. Thesamples were subjected to an acid digestion in a microwave digester, andanalyzed using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer.Results revealed that Cu, Li, V, and Zn were always on the top four ofthe highest average metal concentrations in water and sediment fractions. Thepollution assessment indicated that the watershed mightbe exposed to anthropogenic pollution, as over 60% of Cu and Zn, andover 85% of Hg in water dissolved samples from themarine dominated sites were above the maximum recommended values fromguidelines. The multivariate analyses characterized the watershed into twoclusters, with metals in the sediment fraction mainly contributing to theuppermost sites. Indeed, sedimentary Cu and Zn background enrichment indicespointed out a moderate pollution of the river dominated sites.This study highlights the relevance of an integrative approach inmetal pollution evaluation, as the results denoteda progressive deterioration of the watershed, affecting the waterquality of the lower course of the Negro River and its adjacent coastal zone. Overall,these results contribute to a more complete evaluation of the potential tofulfill the Sustainable Development Goals, with implications for future treatment strategies to enhance theenvironmental quality of the area.

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