Heavy metals in the suspended particulate matter of the Bahía Blanca estuary (Argentina)

FERNANDEZ SEVERINI, M.; BOTTÉ, S.E.; MARCOVECCHIO, J.E.

Mar del Plata

Congreso; CERF 2012. THE CHANGING COASTAL AND ESTUARINE ENCIRONMENT. A COMPARATIVE APPROACH; 2012

Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, y por Instituto de Investigaciones marinas y costeras

Heavy metals are persistent contaminants widely distributed in nature, in compartments such as water, soil, air and different types of organisms, which can produce damage to the environment and finally jeopardize human health. Estuarine and coastal environments are contaminated by human waste containing elevated concentrations of these trace metals as well as nutrients and organic pollutants among others The suspended particulate matter (SPM) plays a fundamental role in the biogeochemical cycles of heavy metals and that this fraction controls the reactivity, transport and biological impacts of chemicals in aquatic environments, and serve as a link for the transfer of metals from the water column, bottom sediments and the food chain. The Bahia Blanca Estuary (BBE) is characterized by a high concentration of particulate matter and present important urban and industrial settlements. In the present study heavy metals concentrations were recorded in the SPM of the Bahía Blanca estuary in the four seasons of 2009 and at 26 sampling stations. Samples were analyzed by ICP-OES Optima 2100 DV and the mean concentrations (μg/g dry wet) were: Cd: 0.76; Cu: 15.9; Pb: 4.46; Fe: 202.70; Mn: 376.15; Zn: 46.86; Ni: 7.45; Cr: 8.14. The highest concentrations were detected at the stations near the industrial area and these results are similar to previous studies in the estuary. Finally, from this study we can detect the importance of suspended particulate material as one of the main transfer agent of heavy metals in the BBE because of its great capacity to adsorb them.