Estimation of mercury background values in sediment and biota of the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau.
This work evaluates the mercury (Hg) contamination status (sediments and biota) of the Bijagós archipelago, off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. Sediments exhibited very low concentrations (<1-12ngg(-1)), pointing to negligible sources of anthropogenic Hg in the region. Nevertheless, Hg is well correlated to the fine fraction, aluminium, and loss on ignition, indicating the effect of grain size and organic matter content on the presence of Hg in sediments. Mercury in the bivalves Tagelus adansoni and Senilia senilis did not vary considerably among sites, ranging within narrow intervals (0.09-0.12 and 0.12-0.14μgg(-1) (dry weight), respectively). Divergent substrate preferences/feeding tactics may justify slight differences between species. The value 11ngg(-1) is proposed as the sediment background concentration for this West-African coastal region, and concentrations within the interval 8-10ngg(-1) (wet weight) may be considered as reference range for S. senilis and T. adansoni in future monitoring studies.
CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal; Department of Chemistry and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
J P
JP
Coelho
CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal; Department of Chemistry and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
R J R
RJR
Monteiro
CESAM and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
T
T
Catry
CESAM and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
P M
PM
Lourenço
MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Center, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal.
P
P
Catry
Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas (IBAP). Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
A
A
Regalla
Centro de Ecologia Aplicada "Prof. Baeta Neves", InBio - Rede de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom.
I
I
Catry
Department of Chemistry and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
P
P
Figueira
Department of Chemistry and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
E
E
Pereira
CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
C
C
Vale
CESAM and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
José
J
P Granadeiro
D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms; D058448:Biota; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000737:chemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006169:Guinea-Bissau; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D000535:Aluminum; D008628:Mercury
Background concentrations; Bivalves; Mercury; Sediments; West Africa