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Spatiotemporal Distribution and Sources of Trace Elements in Ave River (Portugal) Lower Basin: Estuarine Water, Sediments and Indigenous Flora

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess the spatial and seasonal distribution and anthropogenic sources of trace elements (Li, Be, Al, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba, Tl, Pb, and U) by ICP-MS in the Ave River lower basin, Portugal. Mean values (µg L−1) of Al (2384), Zn (55.3), Se (34.6), Cu (24.7), Pb (12.7), Ag (0.75), and Cd (0.66), exceeded the water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. The decreasing order of trace elements concentrations in surface water and sediments was, respectively: Al > Zn > Se > Mo > Li > Ba > V > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > U > Be > Co ≈ Sb > Ag ≈ Cd > Tl; and Al > Zn > Li > Ba > Cu > Pb > Cr > V > Ni > Co > U > Be > Se ≈ Mo ≈ Tl ≈ Cd ≈ Sb ≈ Ag. Moreover, the concentrations of nitrate values were higher than 50 mg L−1. To distinguish natural from anthropogenic sources, the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and the enrichment factor (EF) of sediments were determined. Igeo revealed high contamination by Al, Mn, Ba and Zn, while EF evidenced enrichment for Se, Cd, Zn, Li, Cu, Ag, Pb and U. Bioaccumulation factors (BF) in flora suggested that macroalgae, Medicago marina L. and Plantago lanceolata L., might be accumulators of Se, Mo, Ba and Pb (BF > 1). The highest translocation factor (TF) was found for Mo in leaves (33.6) and flowers (28.1) of P. lanceolata L..

Article Highlights

  • The present work regards a comprehensive study on the occurrence, spatial distribution, possible sources and bioaccumulation of trace elements in this ecosystem, namely in water, sediments and native local flora (plants and macroalgae). In fact, various studies have demonstrated the high anthropogenic pressure of Ave River estuary, the presence of several classes of pollutants and the negative impacts in local aquatic organisms. Nevertheless, there are no studies regarding the monitoring of a large panel of trace elements considering three different matrices (water, sediments and plants) and their possible correlation

  • Pollution indices such as geo-accumulation (Igeo) and enrichment factor (EF) were also determined to investigate sources of these elements. Igeo revealed high contamination by Al, Mn, Ba and Zn, while EF evidenced enrichment for Se, Cd, Zn, Li, Cu, Ag, Pb and U. Bioaccumulation factors (BF) in flora suggested that macroalgae, Medicago marina L. and Plantago lanceolata L. might be accumulators of Se, Mo, Ba and Pb

  • These monitoring data are important to alert local and national authorities to take actions and decisions to protect and improve water quality of Portuguese waterbodies and meet national and European requirements

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Acknowledgments

This work received financial support from the European Union (FEDER funds POCI/01/0145/FEDER/007265) and National Funds (FCT/MEC, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Educação e Ciência) under the Partnership Agreement PT2020 UID/QUI/50006/2013 and the Project PTDC/SAU-ESA/108871/2008. This work was also supported by CESPU, through Project MYCO-CESPU-2016, ChiralDrugs_CESPU_2017 and BIOENVIROM-CESPU-2018.

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Author notes

  1. Ana Rita Ribeiro

    Present address: Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering, Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CESPU, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada em Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde, Rua Central de Gandra, 1317, 4585-116, Gandra PRD, Portugal

    Cristina Maria Cavadas Morais Couto, Cláudia Ribeiro, Ana Rita Ribeiro, Alexandra Maia, Mariana Santos & Maria Elizabeth Tiritan

  2. LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Laboratório de Química Aplicada, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal

    Cristina Maria Cavadas Morais Couto, Edgar Pinto & Agostinho A. Almeida

  3. Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Universidade do Porto, Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4050-208, Matosinhos, Portugal

    Cláudia Ribeiro & Maria Elizabeth Tiritan

  4. Laboratório de Química Orgânica e Farmacêutica, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal

    Maria Elizabeth Tiritan

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  1. Cristina Maria Cavadas Morais Couto
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Correspondence to Cristina Maria Cavadas Morais Couto.

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Maria Cavadas Morais Couto, C., Ribeiro, C., Ribeiro, A.R. et al. Spatiotemporal Distribution and Sources of Trace Elements in Ave River (Portugal) Lower Basin: Estuarine Water, Sediments and Indigenous Flora. Int J Environ Res 13, 303–318 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-019-00174-z

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