title: Potential risk assessment of trace elements and PAHs in sediment samples of the Ebro River basin (Spain).
abstract: This study was carried out in order to assess potential toxicity of hazardous pollutants (8 trace elements and 8 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in 20 sediment samples of the Ebro River basin (Spain) sampled in 2009. Mean-probable effect concentration quotient (m-PECQ) was found to range from 0.03 to 0.79. Two sites were classified as high priority sites in order to take future remediation actions due to their high m-PECQ value (>0.5). Worst-case scenario in equilibrium partitioning approach showed that acid volatile sulfide (AVS) content was greater than total trace element concentration in all samples. However, 4 sediments were classified as degraded due to the high AVS content measured (>50 mmol/kg). Principal component analysis classified the samples according to similar chemical characteristics and revealed that industrial activities are the main source of pollution of the basin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Zaragoza, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain. themachineiq@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Veses
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mosteo
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ormad
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ovelleiro
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013030:Spain; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical