Assessment of contamination by heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments of Montevideo Harbour (Uruguay).
As part of the first environmental assessment within Montevideo Harbour, in summer and winter of 1998, sediments samples were collected at eight locations to determine the spatial distribution of anthropogenic pollutants. Muddy sediments with high organic matter content dominate the study area. Heavy metal levels indicated that sediments were highly polluted with Zn (overall mean: 312+/-102 microg g(-1) dry sediment), Pb (85+/-31), Cu (89+/-25), Cr (162+/-62), and Hg (0.63+/-0.3) and moderately with Ni (30+/-2) and Ag (1.2+/-0.4). Depending on location and season, aliphatic hydrocarbons reached from 21 to 120 microg g(-1), while the unresolved complex mixture represented up to 76% of the total aliphatic fraction. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 1.56 to 90.44 microg g(-1); except at one location, petroleum derivatives were identified as main local source. The results pointed out that almost all the harbour area presented some substances that can cause adverse biological effects, especially in the inner region where all metals are above PEL levels. Principal components analysis confirmed that the inner harbour region is most severely affected by the pollutants and it was possible to differentiate three regions according to their environmental quality.
Muniz
Pablo
P
Sección Oceanología, Depto. Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay. pmmaciel@fcien.edu.uy
Danulat
Eva
E
Yannicelli
Beatriz
B
García-Alonso
Javier
J
Medina
Gabriela
G
Bícego
Márcia C
MC
D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D014583:Uruguay
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons