Mercury distribution and enrichment in coastal sediments from different geographical areas in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Autor: Vieira HC; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: hugovieira@ua.pt., Bordalo MD; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Figueroa AG; EPOMEX Institute, Autonomous University of Campeche, Campeche, Mexico., Soares AMVM; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Morgado F; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Abreu SN; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Rendón-von Osten J; EPOMEX Institute, Autonomous University of Campeche, Campeche, Mexico.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Marine pollution bulletin [Mar Pollut Bull] 2021 Apr; Vol. 165, pp. 112153. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Feb 16.
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112153
Abstrakt: This study evaluated mercury (Hg) in three coastal areas in the North Atlantic Ocean (Azores archipelago, Northwest Portugal and Southeast Mexico) and calculated their enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index. Hg presented greater affinity with fine sediment fraction. In all sampling areas the sites with proximity to possible Hg hotspots presented increased [Hg] in fine sediments. However, this fraction only represents less than 1% of the whole sediment, resulting in a significantly lower [Hg] in the total sediment fraction. After comparing [Hg] in the fine fraction and the values established by the Sediment Quality Guidelines, two sites in the Azores exceeded these values. Nevertheless, when considering the total sediment fraction, adverse biological effects are not expected to occur. Finally, both enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index indicated that the Hg present in 86% comes from natural sources and only sampling sites close to potential hotspots showed some degree of enrichment and contamination.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: