Impact of anthropogenic activities on an urban river through a comprehensive analysis of water and sediments

CASTRO MARIA FERNANDA; CESAR AMÉRICO ALMEIDA; BAZAN, CRISTIAN ROBERTO; JUAN VIDAL; CLAUDIO DANIEL DELFINI; LILIANA BEATRIZ VILLEGAS

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

Lugar: HEIDELBERG; Año: 2021

0944-1344

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of urban and industrial areas on an urban river through a comprehensive analysis ofwater and sediments. Six different sites along the San Luis River, Argentina, were characterized by measuring 12 physicalchemical parameters and nine heavy metals according to standard protocols. Metal pollution in sediment samples was evaluatedwith several indices. Cluster analysis was applied to standardized experimental data in order to study spatial variability. As, Cu,Cr, Mn, Pb, and Zn were the main contributors to sediment pollution, and the industrial zone studied showed moderateenrichment of Co, Cu, and Zn, probably due to anthropogenic activities. Cluster analysis allowed the grouping of the sites:sediment samples were classified into two clusters according to the metal content; water samples were arranged into three groupsaccording to organic matter content. The results were compared with sediment and water quality guidelines. They indicatedprogressive deterioration of water and sediment quality compared with the background area, mainly in the sites following theindustrial park and domestic discharge areas. Moreover, the results showed that the analysis of both water and sediment should beconsidered to achieve a watershed contamination profile.