Historical economic and environmental policies influencing trace metal inputs in Montevideo Bay, Río de la Plata.
Montevideo Bay is located in the middle zone of the Rio de la Plata, and since the foundation of the city, several key economic and environmental policies affected the industry, and thus, metal inputs into this ecosystem. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sedimentary geochemical record of Montevideo Bay, in order to determine the historical inputs of anthropogenic metals to the system. In addition, environmental and economic policies of the country were taken into account to infer the relationship between them and the historic metal input. Concentrations of aluminum, chromium, copper, lead, scandium and zinc were analyzed and the EF and SPI indices were calculated. The analysis showed that since Montevideo foundation, metal concentrations increased in accordance with industry development, and the indices as well as the metal concentration represent a reliable footprint of the history of different economic and environmental policies influencing historical industrial activities.
Laboratorio de Oceanografía y Ecología Marina, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, Montevideo, Uruguay. Electronic address: cbueno@fcien.edu.uy.
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Bueno
Laboratorio de Oceanografía y Ecología Marina, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Brugnoli
Laboratório de Quimica Inorgânica Marinha, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico 191, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Figueira
Laboratorio de Oceanografía y Ecología Marina, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Muniz
Laboratório de Quimica Inorgânica Marinha, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico 191, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Ferreira
Centro Universitario Regional Este, Universidad de la República, Ruta nacional No. 9 Intersección Ruta No. 15, Rocha, Uruguay.
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García Rodríguez
D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry*; D002947:Cities; D057217:Economic Development; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D058735:Environmental Policy; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014583:Uruguay; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Environmental indicators; Industrial activities; Metal pollution; Sediment core; Uruguay