title: Origin, patterns and anthropogenic accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in surface sediments of the Avilés estuary (Asturias, northern Spain).
abstract: Sediment quality has been assessed within the Avilés estuary, an important industrial area in the NW of Spain. The study started with a geochemical characterization of the superficial sediments that revealed some anomalous metal(oid)s concentrations in sensitive areas such as beaches or dunes. These data were studied by means of multivariate statistical techniques and enrichment factors calculation to evaluate the correlations and geochemical origin within the different elements. A novel approach using the combination of enrichment factors with a sequential application of factor analysis, clustering and kriging was essential to identify the possible sources of pollution. The collected information suggested that Cd (strongly correlated with Zn and Pb) was the potentially toxic element most widely distributed and problematic. Furthermore, particulate emissions from Zn metallurgy, as well as dust generated by the mineral loading and stockpile activities in the port were identified as the most important sources of pollution.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra, ESPOL, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sierra
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boado
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saavedra
authors.affiliation: Department of Mining Exploitation and Prospecting, Polytechnic School of Mieres, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ordóñez
authors.affiliation: Department of Mining Exploitation and Prospecting, Polytechnic School of Mieres, Spain. Electronic address: jgallego@uniovi.es.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gallego
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000465:Algorithms; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D063366:Estuaries; D005843:Geography; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008669:Metallurgy; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013030:Spain; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Enrichment factors; Geostatistics; Multivariate analysis; Particulate emissions; Sediment contamination