Arsenic fractionation in estuarine sediments: Does coastal eutrophication influence As behavior?
The Paranaguá Estuarine Complex (PEC) includes the naturally oligotrophic (NO) Mel Island which is surrounded by sea grasses, a naturally eutrophic (NE) Benito Inlet adjacent to mangrove wetlands and the highly impacted eutrophic (IE) Paranaguá Bay, home of one of Brazil's largest ports. The results from this study indicate that reactive As and pyrite increase with sediment depth near Paranaguá port in the IE region. At the NE region, near a mangrove fringe, the reactive As, Fe, Mn and pyrite remained relatively high along the sediment column while near the sea grasses at NO the As contents were low. The degree of trace metal pyritization (DTMP) and the degree of pyritization (DOP) was highest at the IE site, slightly increasing with depth. These baseline results indicate that influence of trophic conditions and presence of marine vegetation may be directly related to As behavior in coastal systems.
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Geoquímica, Outeiro São João Batista, s/n°, Centro, Niterói, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: fabiannetuno@gmail.com.
Fabian
F
Sá
National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: christian.sanders@scu.edu.au.
Christian J
CJ
Sanders
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Geoquímica, Outeiro São João Batista, s/n°, Centro, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Sambasiva Rao
SR
Patchineelam
Laboratório de Hidroquímica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Fundação Universidade do Rio Grande, Av. Itália Km 8, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
Eunice da Costa
Eda C
Machado
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento Botânica, Rodovia Washington Luis Km 235, CP 676 São Paulo, Brazil.
Ana Teresa
AT
Lombardi
D035961:Alismatales / Q000378:metabolism; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D061006:Bays; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D005068:Eutrophication; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D013440:Sulfides / Q000032:analysis; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D053833:Wetlands
D013440:Sulfides; D014131:Trace Elements; C011342:pyrite; D008345:Manganese; D007501:Iron; D001151:Arsenic
Arsenic; Estuary; Mangrove; Pyrite; Sea grass