title: Trace elements in the sediments of a large Mediterranean marina (Port Camargue, France): levels and contamination history.
abstract: The study of trace elements (Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Hg) and butyltin concentrations in the sediments of Port Camargue enabled assessment of the levels and history of the contamination of the largest European marina linked with the use of antifouling paints. Surface sediments near the boat maintenance area were heavily contaminated with up to 1497 μg g(-1) of Cu, 475 μg g(-1) of Zn, 0.82 μg g(-1) of Hg, 94 μg g(-1) of Pb and over 10,000 ngSn g(-1) of tributyltin (TBT). High concentrations of Hg and TBT indicate ongoing sources of these elements despite the ban on their use as biocides in paints. Sediment cores provided records of contamination since 1969. The peak concentrations of As, Hg, Pb and TBT in the sediment profile reflect their presence on boat hulls when the marina was built at the end of the 1960s. Degradation of TBT in the sediments near the boat maintenance area is slow compared to other less contaminated area of the marina.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire HydroSciences UMR 5569, CNRS, Universités Montpellier I & II, IRD, Place Eugène Bataillon, CC MSE, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. nicolas.briant@msem.univ-montp2.fr
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Briant
authors.forename: Chrystelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bancon-Montigny
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Elbaz-Poulichet
authors.forename: Rémi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Freydier
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delpoux
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cossa
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005602:France; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D012767:Ships; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C011559:tributyltin; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Antifouling; Butyltin; Copper; Marina; Mercury; Zinc