Mercury cycling between water column and upper sediments in a contaminated area...

• Author(s): Ramalhosa, Elsa ; Río-Segade, Susana ; Pereira, Eduarda ; Vale, Carlos ; Armando, Duarte
• Date: 2004
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/3655
• Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
• Subject(s): Mercury; Water column; Sediments; Cycling
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: English

Description

The fate and reactivity of anthropogenic mercury in aquatic environment is of major concern owing to its toxicity to most organisms and man. In Ria de Aveiro, a chloralkali plant has been discharging mercury during decades into one of the remotest branches. Most of the discharged mercury settles down in Largo do Laranjo, an inner bay of 1.5 km'. Since 80's, several works have identified high mercury concentrations in sediments, suspended particulate matter and water [I, 2, 3]. The highest concentrations of mercury (max. 35 Og g") were found in sediments at 40 cm depth, corresponding to the period of maximum industrial production [2]. However, there is an escape of particulate mercury when surface sediments are resuspended and transported by the tide to the rest of the lagoon [4].