title: An assessment of metal contamination in mangrove sediments and leaves from Punta Mala Bay, Pacific Panama.
abstract: Due to the growing rate of urbanisation in many tropical coastal areas, there continues to be an increasing concern in relation to the impact of anthropogenic activities on mangrove forests. Punta Mala Bay is located on the Pacific coast of Panama and suffers from intense anthropogenic activities that are potentially harmful to the remaining mangrove forests. Field observations reveal that the mangrove stand within Punta Mala Bay receives high inputs of untreated domestic sewage, storm water run-off and a range of diffuse inputs from shipping activities. Results from analysis of eight metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Fe, Cr, Cd) showed that Fe, Zn and Pb were in concentrations high enough to conclude moderate to serious contamination within the bay, and thus pose the most threat to the regeneration and growth of the mangrove. However, previous biological surveys indicate ongoing mangrove regeneration and domination of stand structure by Laguncularia racemosa, together with high numbers of seedlings and saplings.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, Scotland, UK. ldef@ceh.ac.uk
authors.forename: Lindsey H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Defew
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mair
authors.forename: Hector M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Guzman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D029764:Combretaceae; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010176:Panama; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy