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Potential Risk Assessment of Trace Elements and PAHs in Sediment Samples of the Ebro River Basin (Spain)

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Abstract

This study was carried out in order to assess potential toxicity of hazardous pollutants (8 trace elements and 8 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in 20 sediment samples of the Ebro River basin (Spain) sampled in 2009. Mean-probable effect concentration quotient (m-PECQ) was found to range from 0.03 to 0.79. Two sites were classified as high priority sites in order to take future remediation actions due to their high m-PECQ value (>0.5). Worst-case scenario in equilibrium partitioning approach showed that acid volatile sulfide (AVS) content was greater than total trace element concentration in all samples. However, 4 sediments were classified as degraded due to the high AVS content measured (>50 mmol/kg). Principal component analysis classified the samples according to similar chemical characteristics and revealed that industrial activities are the main source of pollution of the basin.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by MICINN-FEDER funding through CTM2008-01876/TECNO project. We wish to thank the University of Zaragoza and the Ebro Hydrographical Confederation for additional support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Zaragoza, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain

    Oscar Veses, Rosa Mosteo, Maria P. Ormad & Jose L. Ovelleiro

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  1. Oscar Veses
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  2. Rosa Mosteo
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  3. Maria P. Ormad
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  4. Jose L. Ovelleiro
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Correspondence to Oscar Veses.

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Veses, O., Mosteo, R., Ormad, M.P. et al. Potential Risk Assessment of Trace Elements and PAHs in Sediment Samples of the Ebro River Basin (Spain). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 90, 136–142 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0884-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0884-4

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