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Geochemical Control of Heavy Metal Concentrations and Distribution Within Bahia Blanca Estuary (Argentina)

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Abstract

Chromium and lead concentrations and distribution have been fully studied within Bahía Blanca estuary inner area, which is strongly influenced by urban and industrial stress. Not only metals dissolved in estuarine water but also those included in sediments and suspended particulate matters (SPM) were measured. In all cases, internationally standardized protocols were applied to metal measurements, including analytical quality check test through analysis of certified reference materials. Total metal contents from surface sediments and SPM were compared with those from a historical database of the area, as well as with values representing the natural geochemical baseline within the system. Results showed that heavy metal pollution is mainly localized in the areas close to both industrial effluents discharge system and urban sewage outfall discharge. Data from sequential extractions indicate that metals from anthropogenic sources (i.e., Pb) are potentially more mobile than those inherited from geological parent material (i.e., Cr). The influences of other potential sources of metals (i.e., streams, runoff) were also considered. SPM was clearly identified as the main carrier of the studied heavy metals within the system, and its significance to metals input into sediments and/or biota was verified. Finally, the normalization of measured metal concentrations against background reference elements (i.e., Al or Fe) has allowed to identify that most of the measured Cr was lithogenic, while a significant percentage of Pb was from anthropogenic origin within Bahía Blanca estuary.

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Acknowledgments

The present study was fully supported by grants from the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica—ANPCyT—(PICT No 0945/2006), and from the European Union—Latinoamerica Cooperative Program (ECOManage Project, Contract No INCO-CT-2004-003715). The authors are greatly indebted to all the staff of the Chemical Oceanography Area at IADO, who kindly collaborated with the development of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Área de Oceanografía Química, Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (IADO), CCT-CONICET-Bahía Blanca, Florida 7500, Edificio E-1, B8000FWB, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    Jorge Marcovecchio, Sandra Botté, Melisa Fernández Severini & Federico Delucchi

  2. Facultad Regional Bahía Blanca (UTN-FRBB), Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, 11 de Abril 461, B8000LMI, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    Jorge Marcovecchio

  3. Universidad FASTA (Fac. Ingeniería y Fac. Cs. Salud), Gascón 3145, B7600FNK, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Jorge Marcovecchio

  4. Dpto. de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), San Juan 670, B8000ICN, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    Sandra Botté & Federico Delucchi

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  1. Jorge Marcovecchio
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  2. Sandra Botté
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  3. Melisa Fernández Severini
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  4. Federico Delucchi
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Correspondence to Jorge Marcovecchio.

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Marcovecchio, J., Botté, S., Severini, M.F. et al. Geochemical Control of Heavy Metal Concentrations and Distribution Within Bahia Blanca Estuary (Argentina). Aquat Geochem 16, 251–266 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-009-9076-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-009-9076-1

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