title: Assessment of trace metals pollution in estuarine sediments using SEM-AVS and ERM-ERL predictions.
abstract: This paper presents the distributions of the investigation of trace metals geochemistry in surface sediments of the Sergipe river estuary, northeast Brazil. Analyses were carried out by Flame or electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS or ETAAS). Principal component analysis was applied to results to identify any groupings among the different sampling sites. In order to determine the extent of contamination, taking into account natural variability within the region, metal concentrations were normalized relative to aluminium. Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn contamination was observed in sediments from the area receiving highest inputs of domestic wastes, while cadmium contamination occurred in sediments from the region affected by highest inflows of industrial effluents. Possible toxicity related to these metals was examined using the relationship simultaneously extracted metals/acid volatile sulfide and by comparing sediment chemical data with sediment quality guidelines ERL-ERM values. Results obtained using the two methods were in agreement and indicated that adverse effects on aquatic biota should rarely occur.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Química Analítica Ambiental, Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil. cgarcia@ufs.br
authors.forename: Carlos Alexandre Borges
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Elisangela de Andrade
authors.initials: Ede A
authors.lastname: Passos
authors.forename: José do Patrocínio Hora
authors.initials: Jdo P
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical