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Composition and behaviour of heavy metals in suspended sediments in a tropical estuarine system

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Abstract

Guanabara Bay is one of the largest embayment in the Brazilian coast, being subjected to a high anthropogenic impact. The goal of this work is to describe the content and dynamics of heavy metals in the suspended sediments of this tropical coastal embayment, and to evaluate exchanges between the bay and the ocean. With this purpose, information on heavy metal concentrations in suspended sediments, and profiles of temperature, salinity and currents were acquired at an anchor station in the central channel of the bay, and coupled with the tidal cycle. The vertical profiles of Al and Fe presented the lowest values in the surface layer and the highest concentrations at the bottom due to their binding to the particulate matter. Conversely, Mn concentrations were lower at the bottom, where it was influenced by the low water temperatures of the salt wedge. Zn and V showed affinity with Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides. Pb, Cd and Hg were subjected to dilution, from mixing with particles that present low metal concentrations. The metal pollution index showed a clear relationship with the tidal stage, with higher values occurring in the ebb tide. The water column was stratified during the survey due to presence of oceanic cold water mass and high freshwaters discharge. As consequence, the residual transport of metals in the surface was toward to the coastal area and near the bottom was toward to the inner bay for the majority of the metals.

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Acknowledgments

The funding for this project was provided by the Brazilian Oil Agency (ANP) through a scholarship, and a research grant from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). The authors are also thankful to the Brazilian Navy and the crew of the research vessel N/Oc Antares, for their support during the fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Geologia, LAGEMAR, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Av. Litorânea s/n, Gragoatá, Niterói, RJ, CEP 24210-340, Brazil

    Gustavo Vaz de Melo, José Antonio Baptista Neto & Soraya Maia Patchineelam

  2. Programa de Biofisica Ambiental, Laboratório de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 21941-900, Brazil

    Olaf Malm

  3. Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 524 sala 4018E, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20550-013, Brazil

    Marcos Antonio dos Santos Fernandez

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  1. Gustavo Vaz de Melo
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  2. José Antonio Baptista Neto
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  3. Olaf Malm
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  4. Marcos Antonio dos Santos Fernandez
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  5. Soraya Maia Patchineelam
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Correspondence to Gustavo Vaz de Melo.

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de Melo, G.V., Neto, J.A.B., Malm, O. et al. Composition and behaviour of heavy metals in suspended sediments in a tropical estuarine system. Environ Earth Sci 73, 1331–1344 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3491-3

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