title: Ecological effects of contaminated sediments following a decade of no industrial effluents emissions: the Sediment Quality Triad approach.
abstract: Sediments contaminated by industrial effluents a decade after the emissions were stopped were statistically compared to sediments from reference channels, using the Sediment Quality Triad approach. The metals and metalloid concentrations, mainly Hg and As, increased towards the upper part of a contaminated channel, where the industrial discharge was located. A bioaccumulation assay with Scrobicularia plana showed the highest bioaccumulation and mortality in the most contaminated sediments and bioaccumulation strongly correlated with the sediments metals and metalloid concentrations. The resident macroinvertebrate community also showed significant differences between the contaminated and reference channels, in the upper areas, where the community was most affected. All three elements of the quality triad rejected the null hypothesis and indicated that despite the emissions ceasing in 2004, sediments remain contaminated by high levels of metals and metalloid, leading to bioaccumulation and with severe community level consequences.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Marta Lobão
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: victor.quintino@ua.pt.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Quintino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D011174:Portugal; D045483:Rivers; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Benthic macrofauna; Bioaccumulation; Heavy metals; Ria de Aveiro; Scrobicularia plana; Sediment toxicity