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Spatial distribution of heavy metals in surficial sediments from Guanabara Bay: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Ninety-two surface sediment samples were collected in Guanabara Bay, one of the most prominent urban bays in SE Brazil, to investigate the spatial distribution of anthropogenic pollutants. The concentrations of heavy metals, organic carbon and particle size were examined in all samples. Large spatial variations of heavy metals and particle size were observed. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were found in the muddy sediments from the north western region of the bay near the main outlets of the most polluted rivers, municipal waste drainage systems and one of the major oil refineries. Another anomalous concentration of metals was found adjacent to Rio de Janeiro Harbour. The heavy metal concentrations decrease to the northeast, due to intact rivers and the mangrove systems in this area, and to the south where the sand fraction and open-marine processes dominate. The geochemical normalization of metal data to Li or Al has also demonstrated that the anthropogenic input of heavy metals have altered the natural sediment heavy metal distribution.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this project was provided through a cooperation programme funded by the “Internationales Büro Nord-und Südamerika des BMBF (Germany; BRA99/036MAR)” and a research grant from FAPERJ (Rio de Janeiro State Science Foundation) and CNPq (Brazilian Science Foundation). The writers are also indebted to Dr. Cleverson G. Silva for fieldwork assistance and the MSc students from Departamento de Geologia UFF for their help during the fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Geologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Av. Litoranea s/n, Gragoatá, Niterói, CEP 24210-340, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    José Antônio Baptista Neto & Isa Brehme

  2. Departamento de Geografia, FFP/Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    José Antônio Baptista Neto

  3. Institut für Ostseeforschung, Warnemünde (IOW), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany

    Franz Xaver Gingele & Thomas Leipe

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  1. José Antônio Baptista Neto
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  2. Franz Xaver Gingele
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  3. Thomas Leipe
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  4. Isa Brehme
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Correspondence to José Antônio Baptista Neto.

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Neto, J.A.B., Gingele, F.X., Leipe, T. et al. Spatial distribution of heavy metals in surficial sediments from Guanabara Bay: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Environ Geol 49, 1051–1063 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0149-1

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