A BIOGEOQUÍMICA DE METAIS EM SEDIMENTOS DE MANGUEZAL NA ILHA DO MARANHÃO

Abstract

Mangrove estuaries are subject to amendments provoked by anthropogenic activities. The contamination by metals in estuarine environments is of paramount importance, since these cannot be degraded and, therefore, accumulate in sediments promoting certain toxicity to benthic organisms and humans. This risk is directly linked to the availability and mobility of metals in sediments. Although Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn are found at trace levels in the environment, several studies have been made on the basis of their toxic potential. The aim of this study is to determine the distribution and fractionation of trace metals in sediments of mangrove Paciência river, both on the surface and in the depth profile and to estimate the risk of these elements to aquatic life. Metal Fractionation in mangrove sediment (surface and depth profile) of Paciência river in Maranhão Island was conducted using the method of sequential extraction protocol by the European Commission. The metal concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry technique (ICPOES). The mobility of metals (sum of the three most mobile fractions F1, F2 and F3) had values approximately 80 %, suggesting that the impact of human activities. The results showed that the total concentration levels of metals were below TEL (Threshold effect level), with the exception of Pb, whose values provide risk to aquatic life. The redox potential (Eh) decreased with depth (-110 mV at the surface to -360 mV at the bottom), and showed high correlation with Fe in fraction F2 (r² = 0,89). Other parameters studied showed no increasing or decreasing along the depth behavior, indicating that other variables may be affecting the distribution and dynamics of metals in sediment.