Assessment of heavy metals in sediments of the Parnaíba River Delta in the semi-arid coast of Brazil
Studies related to heavy metal concentrations in coastal sediments are important to monitor and assess environmental health of estuarine ecosystems. Twenty-eight samples from Parnaíba River Delta, the largest open-ocean delta in the Americas, northeastern of Brazil were tested for heavy metals conce...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2021 |
| País: | Brasil |
| Institución: | Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) |
| Repositorio: | Repositório Institucional da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:repositorio.ufc.br:riufc/67806 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://www.repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/67806 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Heavy metals Enrichment factor Pollution Metais pesados Fator de enriquecimento Poluição |
| Sumario: | Studies related to heavy metal concentrations in coastal sediments are important to monitor and assess environmental health of estuarine ecosystems. Twenty-eight samples from Parnaíba River Delta, the largest open-ocean delta in the Americas, northeastern of Brazil were tested for heavy metals concentrations (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Al and Fe), grain-size and easily oxidizable carbon. The relations of the heavy metals with sediment composition were evaluated using a multivariate statistical analysis. Sediment pollution assessment was carried out by enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF) and potential ecological risk index (PERI). The average concentrations were 0.50±0.09 mg Cd kg−1, 6.95±2.13 mg Pb kg−1, 19.02±8.75 mg Cu kg−1, 23.20±5.04 mg Ni kg−1, 33.52±6.82 mg Cr kg−1, 43.99±7.47 mg Zn kg−1, 165.73±86.71 mg Mn kg−1, 2.93±0.89% to Fe and 3.78±1.17% to Al. The results indicate lower concentrations of heavy metals relative to limit concentrations defned by the Brazilian regulatory framework. The multivariate analysis refected the binding of heavy metals to clay minerals and organic carbon. The diferent geochemical indices indicated sediments minimally enriched by metals and a low potential ecological risk level. Our assessment confrms the pristine conditions of Parnaíba Delta protected area to heavy metal contamination, except Igaraçú channel near Parnaíba city. |
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